The Heart of the Matter
by charley07
Summary: Sadie and Kwest are getting married, so Jude returns home after almost four years away, only to find Tommy engaged. In two weeks, she has to break his engagement, play Maid of Honor, and reconnect with old friends, as well as some new ones. Can she do it?
1. Chapter 1

**Here it is- the first chapter to my latest story. I just wanted to get back to what attracted me to **_Instant Star_** in the first place, the relationship between Jude and Tommy. This is the introduction chapter and it will take place over a two week period. I haven't decided exactly how long it's going to be, but I know certain things I definitely want to happen, so we'll see. I hope you like it and I really hope you'll review. I do love those so.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue, as always.**

Jude stared out the window of her plane, completely unprepared for what was waiting when she landed. It had been nearly four years since she'd been Toronto and she wasn't ready to go back. Unfortunately, she had to. Her sister was getting married and Sadie had threatened to kill her if she didn't show up.

_"Ladies and gentlemen, we are beginning our final descent into Toronto," _the pilot announced. _"Please make sure all seatbelts are fastened and that seats are in their upright position. Thank you for flying on Delta Airlines today."_

Twenty minutes later, Jude stood just outside terminal 4B, looking around. She'd spent the last three and a half years in Europe, traveling and meeting new people and performing in small clubs and cafés. She already missed it, but Sadie needed her.

"Jude!" a random paparazzi yelled as she walked through security. "What are you doing back in Toronto? Does it have anything to do with the recent engagement of Tom Quincy?"

Jude, who had no idea that Tommy was engaged, ignored him and went to find her luggage. Once she'd retrieved her old Ralph Lauren suitcases, she found Kwest waiting for her.

"Jude Harrison," he smiled, pulling her into a brotherly hug. "You look great."

"You, too," she replied. "A little older, a little wiser."

"Of course," he joked, helping with her bags. "So, are you excited to be back in TO?"

She rolled her eyes. "Hardly."

"Well, we're all excited to have you back," he told her sincerely. "Sadie's been cleaning all week and SME even spruced up 620. You know Karma's gone, right?"

"He told me," she nodded. "I'm proud of him for being so strong about it. I mean, Kyle said it got ugly."

"Very," Kwest confirmed as they walked outside towards where he'd parked his Ford Explorer. "I mean, no offense, but even since you've been gone, SME has done really well, and Karma only did okay, so she wanted half of everything and they didn't have a pre-nup."

"Oh, no," she breathed. "What happened?"

Kwest unlocked the SUV and loaded her luggage into the trunk, continuing with the story once he was in the driver's seat, buckled in. "She'd cheated on him, which ruled in his favor and she didn't even get a million."

"Wow," she sighed, looking out the window at the Toronto skyline. "How are things at the label?"

The label, Sewer Records, was the indie label Jamie had started with Pagan when Jude had left three and a half years before, named in honor of Patsy. While it had started small and independent in Jamie's nana's basement as NBR, it had catapulted to a top label and now accounted for many of Canada's biggest stars.

"Great," he answered, pulling onto the highway. "Busy, but Jamie's doing a great job and Pagan does a lot of behind-the-scenes work."

"Sadie said you're one of their top producers and head engineer," she noted. "Good for you, Kwest."

"Yeah, I still work with Tommy a lot, but we make a good team," he stated, noticing her posture change at the mention of Tommy. "He's engaged, Jude."

She forced a smile. "The paparazzi informed me. I'm happy for him."

"You're a bad liar," he chuckled, "but okay." He was momentarily quiet, as if planning his next question. "What happened to you two? He never said anything, other than you guys broke up and you were heading to Europe."

"Just didn't really work out," she murmured vaguely. "That's all."

Kwest, who'd grown to think of Jude as a sister, didn't believe her but also didn't want to press her, so he nodded. "Oh. Well, it happens."

"Mm-hmm," was all she said. "I guess so."

Being the end of January, Sadie had a roaring fire going in the house she lived in with Kwest, just outside downtown, as she waited for her younger sister to arrive. She wanted to make Jude's two week visit with them as warm and nice as possible, especially since Jude would not only be seeing Tom for the first time in three years, but also meeting his very pretty fiancé, Lauren Osgood.

"Is she here yet?" Spiederman demanded as he, Wally, and Kyle rushed into the house in a panicked frenzy. "Did we miss her?"

"Kwest just text me and said they're about five minutes away," Sadie reported. "Calm down, geez."

"My number one girl is back," Spiederman stated. "Excuse me for being a little excited."

Kyle stuffed a handful of Cheetos into his mouth. "Think she looks the same?" Although they'd all heard from Jude over the last three and a half years, no one had seen her. "Or you think she like, dyed her hair again?"

"No way," Sadie shook her head. "She loves the blonde. I'll bet she looks the same."

"Nah," Spiederman interrupted. "I'll say it's still blonde but shorter."

"Yeah, right," Wally scoffed. "She loved her long hair more than the blonde. I say it's red again and still long."

Before anyone could offer another possibility, the door opened and Stuart and Yvette Harrison let themselves in.

"Is she here yet?" Yvette wondered excitedly. After years of being with Stuart, they'd finally gotten married and the two girls had happily accepted her into their family, though Jude wasn't home for it, while Victoria and Don were still MIA. "I can't wait to see her."

"None of us can," Kyle offered. "Dude's back."

They waited the next few minutes in sheer anticipation, each imagining the first words they'd speak to Jude when she arrived.

"They're here!" Sadie shrieked as she looked out the window. "Everyone, be calm."

Spiederman laughed. "You're the one shrieking."

Not even another minute later, Jude pushed back the door and smiled. "Hi, everyone."

"Aww, you couldn't even see us," Wally complained as they all closed in on her. "How'd you know we were here?"

"Because, even though I've been gone for a long time, Spiederman still drives that electric blue Jeep, you three never travel independently, and I just assumed about my dad and Yvette," she rationalized. "Now, who to hug first?"

"Me!" Sadie cried, pushing Spiederman aside. "I'm your sister and the bride-to-be."

Jude hugged her sister tightly, trying to fight off tears. "It's so good to see you, Sades."

"Yeah," Sadie whispered, unable to control her own tears. "We've missed you so much."

Spiederman was next. "Dude, your hair is hot. The shortness suits you well."

"Thanks," Jude grinned, hugging the other two boys, as well. "Dad, Yvette, hi!"

The three of them went in for a group hug, Yvette sobbing quietly as Jude told her how happy she was Stuart had finally married her.

"So, for dinner, I made lasagna, spaghetti, and breadsticks," Sadie announced, leading everyone to the dining room. "All of Jude's favorites."

Jude smiled as Sadie dragged her into the dining room. "Sades, you didn't have to do all this."

"Don't let her fool you," Kwest jumped in. "I helped."

"It doesn't matter," Jude assured them. "It's still great, all of it."

Being back in the house she grew up in really brought back a lot of memories for Jude. Sleepovers with Kat and Jamie, pillow fights with Sadie, music tutorials with her dad when she was little.

"So, how's Europe?" Yvette asked.

"God, I love it," Jude gushed. "I have no boundaries or ties anywhere. I know people everywhere and I just stay where I want, when I want."

Sadie cleared her throat. "Are you going back?"

"Yeah," Jude confirmed. "This isn't my home anymore, Sadie. You're getting married, Dad's married, and I have no place."  
"620!" Spiederman cried. "There's a futon with your name on it."

"Even though I travel a lot, I still prefer clean beds," Jude teased. "Sorry, boys."

Kyle shrugged. "It's okay, cause that futon is where Wally sleeps."

"If you don't mind my ask, Spied, what happened to Karma?" Jude wondered. "Have you heard from her recently at all?"

"Nope," Spiederman answered, his upbeat demeanor quickly failing. "Not since our last session in court two months ago to finalize everything."

"Last I heard," Sadie spoke up, "she was in the States, shopping for a label."

Wally, who'd been mostly quiet, looked at Jude. "Have you heard about Squinty?"

"Wally!" Sadie cried.

"No, it's fine," Jude said quickly. "Yes, Wallace, I heard at the airport. Good for him."

Stuart patted his youngest daughter's back. "You're better off, Jude."

"Am I?" Jude whispered. "I mean, yes, things ended badly in Asia- no details- but I haven't even thought of another guy since then. And now I'm supposed to just let him marry some new girl?"

"Technically, she's not new," Kyle explained. "They've been together for over a year."

"Thanks, Kyle," she deadpanned. "So, what's she like?"

Everyone was quiet.

"Uhh, horrible," Spiederman finally said, though badly lying. "You know the type- plain brown hair, blue eyes, a simple smile."

"Ahh, practically perfect in every way," Jude nodded. "I get it, but thanks for trying, Vin."

Kwest shook his head. "She's still not you, Jude. He knows that, but he did his best to move on."

"Tommy and I were dysfunction at it's finest," she shrugged. "We deserve better."

Once dinner was cleared up, Jude went upstairs to her old bedroom, which hadn't been touched, and climbed out the window to sit on her roof.

"Hey," Jamie called up to her as he stood outside his Nana's house next-door. "You're back. I thought you were going to call me?"

"Sorry," she apologized lamely. "It got a little hectic around her."

"Can I come up?" he asked, toying with the ladder they'd always kept between their houses. "We can talk."

She grinned. "Sure, Jame."

A moment later, he was lying beside her and they were staring up at the sky, huddled together for warmth.

"Remember, in fourth grade, when you dared Spiederman to see if he could jump from your roof to mine?" Jamie laughed. "And me, you, Wally, and Kyle lined the grass in between with mattresses in case he fell?"

"Which he did," Jude nodded in remembrance. "Luckily, he just broke an arm and we told his uncle that he'd fallen off the jungle gym."

"We were wild kids," Jamie sighed. "Then you and Spied started to really hate each other over different taste in music and we all split. Who'd have thought that at just twenty-two, we'd all be best friends again?"

"Not me," she answered, breathing heavily just to see her breath in the freezing Toronto night. "I also didn't think I'd be a rock star, living in Europe, and have my heart broken multiple times by the same guy."

"Yeah, how are you dealing with the whole Quincy-being-engaged thing?" he wondered quietly. "Does it even bother you? It's been years."

She looked at him pointedly. "Jamie, of course it bothers me. I know you hate hearing this, but Tommy was the love of my life and I lost him. I only had him six months and he bolted."

"Is that what happened?" he asked. "In Asia, I mean. He just left?"

"Not exactly," she muttered. "I talked about settling down once we got back, you know, moving in together and all that. Apparently, it wasn't something he wanted and he ended things. Just left one night and I haven't seen or heard from him since."

Jamie was quiet. "I hate to tell you this, especially since you're so down about it, but Lauren's a nice girl. I think she's going to be seriously intimidated by the fact that you're back. I mean, Jude Harrison and Tom Quincy were once an unbeatable combination."

"Ahh, yes, _once_ being the operative word," Jude sighed. "That's the past, James, and I'm all about the future." She paused. "So, tell me about Sewer Records. I'm so proud of you guys."

"Yeah, it's amazing at how far it's come along," he told her. "I mean, we started in Nana's basement and now, we have a three-story building downtown and I finally moved out."

"Jamie Andrews moved away from Nana?" she teased. "No way."

"Yes," he confirmed. "I think it about killed her when I told her, but she understands. I mean, I'm twenty-two and I run one of Canada's most successful labels. One that you'll be warmly welcomed to if you ever come home."

Jude scoffed. "Don't count on it anytime soon. It's one thing to be here a couple weeks for Sadie, but to be here all the time, especially with Tommy getting married, would be suffocating."

"So, did Spiederman mention Tommy's sister?" Jamie asked.

"No," Jude shook her head. "Have you all met her? I've only heard of her from stories he's told me or that Kwest has mentioned. I hear she's a real spit-fire."

"Definitely," he laughed. "Nic Quincy is her name and she's about as brutally honest as one can be. She's not nice, but everyone adores her. Most of the time, she lives in New York and works at _Vogue_, but she's visited a lot lately and we all think Spiederman secretly is in love with her."

"Before I hated her, Portia once told me that she's beautiful," Jude stated. "Is she?"

"Yeah," Jamie replied. "Not particularly my type, but beautiful nonetheless. Long, wavy brown hair and navy blue eyes. She rarely smiles, always smirks, and keeps Quincy on his toes when she's around. I also get the impression she doesn't much like Lauren."

"Oh, yeah?" Jude mused. "Why's that?"

Jamie could practically hear Jude smiling. "Nic's an extrovert, Lauren's an introvert, and they find no common ground. The reason we all think Spiederman is in love with her is because she was the first girl to make him laugh after the divorce was finalized and they keep in major contact. Sadie and Kwest invited her to the wedding, so you should meet her."

"Cool," Jude said. "I'll need an ally in hating Lauren."

"You haven't even met her yet," he pointed out.

"She's engaged to Tommy," she reminded him. "That's immediate grounds for me hating her."

Jamie was momentarily quiet. "Whatever you say, Jude. So, tomorrow, you wanna come see Sewer?"

"Absolutely!" she cried. "I have a dress-fitting at 10:15 with Sadie, Yvette, and her friends Leila and Morgan, but then I'll come over."

He grinned. "I'm glad you're back, Jude. It just hasn't been the same around here without you."

"Well, don't get used to it," she warned. "Europe's calling."

"Can't you move on from here?" he wanted to know. "You've got an entire group of people to back you up. You don't need Tommy."

"See, that's the thing," she said. "If I'm here, I know I'll fall back in love with him, just like always, whether he's married or not. It's the effect he's always had on me."

"I know," Jamie agreed, "but you can't live your life cautiously because of that. I'm sure Europe is great and people love you there and all, but no matter what you say, Toronto is your home. Your family is here and I'm here and SME is here. Your entire life began here and you're giving that all up over a washed-up boy bander? Come on, Harrison. He can't control your life."

Jude bit her lip. "But he does. How fucked up is that? Little Tommy Q can control the way I live. How pathetic."

"Let's just not talk about it," Jamie suggested. "In two weeks, if you still want to leave, go ahead. But we have fourteen days to make you want to stay."

"Good luck," she joked.

"Hey, Jude?" Sadie called out. "Dad and Yvette are leaving."

Jude carefully crawled back into her window, Jamie following closely behind. They went downstairs and said good-bye to Jude's father and step-mother.

"It's so good to have you back, Jude," Yvette told her. "I'll see you for the dress-fitting in the morning."

Soon after, everyone else filed out, including Sadie and Kwest, who went to his brother's house, leaving just Jude and Spiederman, who wanted to stay and hang out.

"Spied," she began as they situated themselves on the couch in front of the TV, "tell me about Nic Quincy."

He rolled his eyes. "I wondered if Andrews would mention it. Look, it's nothing. I just like that she's absolutely nothing like Karma, except that I wouldn't describe Nic as being 'nice' at all. She's smart and funny and honest. Karma always had me wondering what she was thinking but Nic tells you straight up what's in her head. She lives in Manhattan, so we're just friends."

"Jamie says she's beautiful," Jude noted.

"Oh, my God," he muttered. "You have no idea. She's a supermodel without actually being a supermodel. I mean, Karma was hot, but Nic is like, stunning. It's completely different, you know. She sort of takes your breath away."

"Does she know you're in love with her?" Jude asked nonchalantly.

"No, I don't know how to- wait!" he cried. "I don't love her."

Jude eyed him. "Mm-hmm. I know you far too well, Vincent Spiederman."

"That what I'm always afraid of," he whispered. "You're like an arsenal of my life, ready to release information at any moment."

"That just means you should stay on my good side then," she laughed. "I know about your secret tattoo and your serious crush on Jessica Simpson and that you once kissed my sister on a dare and _liked _it."

Spiederman blushed. "I was twelve and back then, I did absolutely anything on a dare."

"Cause you thought you were invincible," she stated. "Still think that?"

"Considering I wanted to kill myself when I was going through the divorce, I'd say no," he answered quietly. "God, I sure know how to pick 'em, don't I?"

Jude scoffed. "Uhh, you did pick me long ago. Was that so awful?"

"Silver lining," he said. "But there was Allie Baker in ninth grade, Carlee Christianson in tenth, and then Monica Robbins just before you. Add a marriage to Karma to the mix and I've got an entire line-up of total losers."

"Well, is this Nic Quincy good or bad?" she asked, changing the channel to MTV.

"She'd be the best," he reported. "No offense to you or anything, but she just would be. Nic's honest and real and down-to-earth. All the others were liars and manipulators and just evil."

"Then tell her," Jude shrugged. "How do you know she doesn't feel the same?"

Spiederman shook his head. "No way. I barely know her."

"Jamie said you guys talk like, every day," she said. "You must know her pretty well."

"We're friends," he mumbled. "That's all."

"If you say so," she murmured. "So, what about Wallace and Kyle? Any women for them? I haven't talked to you since about last summer."

He chuckled. "Kyle's got a different girl every week, so nothing's changed with him. Wally's actually been dating Lee Murphy, an old friend of Nic's, since like, August. She and Nic grew up together in Montreal and Lee lives here now and works downtown at Barrett & Forrester, managing their finances."

"To be honest," she began, "I never, _ever_ thought Wally would settle down. Not when he's only twenty-two, anyways. Are Nic and this Lee our age?"

"Older," he clarified. "Lee's twenty-four and Nic's twenty-three, so not too much. They kinda look alike, too, except Lee's hair is shorter."

"Compare them to people," Jude requested.

"Oh, geez," he breathed. "You remember that show Sadie used to like, uhh, _One Tree Hill_?" Jude nodded and he continued. "And how in the last season, the one married to the basketball player had short, dark hair? Well, Lee looks a little like her, but taller and prettier. They just have the same haircut. And Nic is a mix of every beautiful girl I've ever seen, and some."

Jude rolled her eyes. "I should've expected that."

"So, what are you going to do when you meet Lauren?" he asked. "Just immediately hate her?"

"Probably," Jude answered. "I mean, what does she have that I didn't that makes her okay to settle down with and not me?"

Spiederman smirked. "She's closer to his age, not so emotional, and way more submissive. He definitely wears the pants in their relationship and in yours, you two were always back and forth."

"She's submissive?" Jude repeated. "How can he possibly want someone who does everything he says without question? That's boring."

"I think he just realized that being with someone so passionate and fiery, as you and I guess Angie had been, he wanted stability," Spiederman explained.

Jude was confused. "How are you so knowledgeable about the inner workings of his mind?"

"Surprisingly, we've become decent friends since he came back," he told her. "Weird, huh?"

"Very," she confirmed. "Wally's tied down, you and Tom are friends. Next thing I know, you'll tell me that Pagan is normal and this is all a dream I'm about to wake up from."

"Well, I can tell you that this isn't a dream," he replied, "and Pagan still is a New Age freak, but it's going to be okay. Two weeks won't be so bad, will it?"

"No, except Jamie's going to do everything in his power to make me stay," she sighed. "And so will Sadie and my dad and Yvette. Hell, by the end of this week, you will be, too."

He smiled. "We just like having you here, dude. You've changed all of our lives."

"Not always in the best ways," she countered. "I've done some bad stuff in my time."

"You're not a serial killer, you haven't robbed any banks, and I have yet to see any plans you have to take over the world," he pointed out, "so I think you're okay. Maybe some of the decisions you've made aren't the best, but everyone has survived."

She laid her head on his shoulder. "Vin, my life here is a wreck. That's why I can't stay. I'd go back to recording and fighting with Tommy and dealing with all sorts of drama. Europe is so mellow and laid-back. I'm not stalked or followed constantly by paparazzi, unless they're from here. I like who I am there."

"Who you are? But is the girl you are over there the real you?" he wanted to know. "The Jude I've known and loved since kindergarten?"

"I'm the Jude who doesn't care about record sales or producers or tyrannical bosses," she said. "I just make music and I'm happy."

"Happy is good," he assured her, "but you can still be happy here. You can be happy without Tommy."

"I don't think so," she admitted. "My entire happiness relied on him for over three years, Vin. Three years!"

He wrapped an arm around her. "You loved him, dude. That's all."

"And I need to grow up," she decided. "I'm twenty-one-years-old now. I'm not a kid anymore."

"Good mantra," he complimented. "Just be you."

"I will," she stated confidently. "Just Jude. I don't need to be one-half of 'Jommy' or part of G-Major or the younger Harrison sister. I'm just Jude."

"But still my best friend," he added.

Jude laughed. "Right, still your best friend." She let out a long sigh. "Oh, these next two weeks will be a total nightmare for me."

"No," he interrupted. "Just Jude will have a great two weeks with her best friend, Cool Spied."

"If you say so," she mumbled, turning up the volume on _The Real World. _"I just hope you're right."

"When aren't I?" he wondered.

She eyed him out of the corner of her eye. "You really don't want me to answer that."

"You're right," he agreed. "I don't. But, in my head, I'm never wrong."

Jude scrunched her nose. "Oh, Spied, how I've missed you so."

"I'm unforgettable," he said. "So you can miss me all you want but I'll always be around."

"I certainly hope so," she told him. "I don't know what I'd do if you weren't."

"Be sad," he answered for her. "Devastatingly sad."

"Right," she teased. "Keeping dreaming, guitar boy."


	2. Chapter 2

**So, this is going to be a shorter chapter in this story, but I liked where it ends and didn't want to keep writing just for the sake of making it longer when it wouldn't have ended as well. I'd planned on making things between Jude and Tommy really awkward, but then I decided that for everything to work out, they had to fall almost back into what they once were together. I also decided to make the Nic in this story more diabolical than she usually is, so she'll begin to plot some not-so-nice things against Lauren that even Jude might eventually find problems with. Other than that, here's chapter two and I hope you like it.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue.**

The following morning, Jude woke up to loud Amy Winehouse blasting from the kitchen downstairs. Sadie, though perceived as a bubbly blonde, sometimes had decent taste in music.

"Good morning," Kwest greeted Jude when she joined him and her sister for breakfast. "You sleep okay?"

"Surprisingly, I did," Jude confirmed. "Considering I haven't slept in that bed in almost four years, I slept like a baby."

"Cause it's home," Sadie shrugged. "It's easy to fall back into the motions."

Jude ignored the 'home' comment and sat down at the table. "So, what are we eating?"

"Omelets and bacon," Kwest reported, placing a plate in front of the musician. "Then I'm off to the studio and you guys are meeting everyone for a dress fitting."

"Ick, domesticity," Jude gagged. "Don't you ever want to like, be apart?"

Sadie glanced at her fiancée. "Not really."

"Jude, he knows you're back," Kwest murmured. "He called me this morning after he saw a re-run of last night's _E! News._"

"Oh, well, at least it won't be a total surprise for him then," Jude shrugged, trying her best to show indifference. "I told Jamie I'd stop by Sewer today for a tour."

"Lauren's going to be there, too," Kwest told her. "They're doing some interview for the local paper about one of Canada's most infamous bad boys settling down."

Jude scoffed. "Like he hasn't before. And what makes them think it's for good this time?"

"Jude," Sadie said, placing an omelet on Jude's plate. "Maybe you shouldn't go there today. It'll all be the exact same tomorrow."

"No," Jude decided firmly. "I promised Jamie. I'm not going to let Tom's engagement ruin my time here."

"Sure," Kwest muttered almost inaudibly to Sadie. "Well, all right then," he spoke up. "Let's eat."

At almost exactly 10:15, Sadie and Jude made their way into Elegant Bridal, an exclusive shop downtown, for their fitting. Yvette was already waiting with Sadie's old friends, Leila Richards and Morgan Gardner.

"How'd you score a private fitting here?" Jude wondered. "I remember Karma getting denied once upon a time."

Sadie blushed. "Tommy pulled some strings."

"Of course he did," Jude murmured, fingering the dress in front of her. "What were his conditions?"

"None," Sadie shrugged. "He just said he's incredibly happy for us and wanted to do something nice."

"There's an oxymoron," Jude whispered. "So, where's my dress?" She eyed what Leila and Morgan were trying on. "Am I supposed to wear that?" Both girls had slid their way into a very slimming Monique Lhuillier number in pastel pink. "And in pink?"

"No, I decided to go the _My Best Friend's Wedding_ route and choose something different for my Maid of Honor," Sadie told her, unzipping another garment bag to reveal a dress in light blue by Roberto Cavalli. It had thin spaghetti straps, a full skirt, and matching ballet flats.

"Wow," Jude breathed. "Sadie, it's gorgeous."

"I know," Sadie beamed. "When I saw it, I knew it was totally you."

"It is," Jude agreed. "Am I paying for it?"

"Umm, yes," Sadie smiled. "I don't have millions, regardless of how well Kwest is paid."

Jude rolled her eyes. "Whatever. It's fine and I can probably wear it again."

"Ahh, do I smell optimism from Jude Harrison?" Leila teased, joining the sisters. "Miracles _do _happen."

"Oh, I so haven't missed you," Jude admitted to Sadie's closest non-music industry friend. "How was the halfway house?"

"Not nearly as good as I'm sure being dumped by your famous boyfriend was," Leila answered.

The two girls had their stare-off for another moment before hugging each other tightly. They'd always had a bickering war going between them, so it was normal for them to use the other's absolute worst moment against them. Leila had spent four months in rehab for a cocaine addiction and another two and a half in a halfway house to integrate back into society. Sadie had mentioned that she was doing well, and she looked it. Her short auburn hair was pulled up, she was healthy-looking, and had color in her face.

"You look good," Jude told her.

"Seven months sober," Leila announced. "I'm back with my parents, which is probably a good thing, and Sadie helped me get a job at Sewer Records, working reception."

"Ahh, office manager," Jude nodded. "Controversial job at times."

"I really like it," Leila gushed. "I thought it would be a total pain in my ass, but it's not."

Sadie leaned in. "And she has a total crush on Kyle."

"I do not!" Leila denied. "I've only been there for almost two months and I already know he's a total womanizer."

"Aww, Kyle," Jude smiled. "I'm glad he hasn't changed at all. You know, he'd go for you. He likes women with an edge. I can't remember the last time he dated someone semi-normal, though I haven't exactly been around."

"Trust me," Sadie jumped in, "you've missed nothing."

After an hour and a half at Elegant Bridal, Jude and Sadie stopped in at Starbucks before heading to Sewer.

"Are you _sure_ you want to do this?" Sadie asked, sipping her cappuccino. "Tommy won't be there from Wednesday through Friday cause he's going to visit Lauren's family in Ottawa."

Jude paid for her frappuccino and sighed. "Sadie, I'm going. I'm twenty-one-years-old and can deal with it. So be broke my heart. I can be the bigger person, congratulate him, and then make fun of his hair gel obsession with Spied later."

Sewer Records was located near where G-Major had been, but was much bigger and less fancy; practical, like Jamie. Jude immediately felt at home and knew if she ever did come back, recording there would be comfortable.

"Jude, hi!" Jamie greeted her, emerging from his office. "What do you think?"

"Jamie, it's amazing," she gushed. "It's what I would expect from you."

"Once you've looked around, you'll see certain things that are definitely inspired by Pagan, or Zeppelin, but for the most part, it's all me."

"Zeppelin?" Jude repeated. "I thought she went back to the States with her mom cause you wouldn't fully commit?"

"Well, I did," he shrugged. "She's at lunch with a prospective investor, but she should be back around 2:30. So, would you like an official tour?"

As Jude was whisked away, Sadie let herself into studio three and saw Kwest and Tommy seated at the soundboard.

"She's here," she announced. "Jamie's showing her around right now, but you won't be able to hide from her forever, Tom."

Tommy spun to face his best friend's fiancée. "Who said I was? I'm just working here, Sadie."

"Right," she scoffed. "In studio three? You _never_ work in here. This is your hiding spot cause Jamie will look for you here last."

"Fine," he conceded. "I'm hiding. I haven't seen, nor heard from, her in three and a half years, Sadie, and when I finally do, I'm newly engaged. It's an uncomfortable situation, okay?"

"She's just Jude," Sadie reminded him. "Nothing's changed."

"Uhh, everything's changed," he countered. "We're not how we used to be anymore; not with each other."

Before Sadie or Kwest could respond, the door slid open and Jamie stuck his head in. "Yay or nay?"

"Why not?" Tommy shrugged. "Maybe we'll be friends."

"Yeah, right," Sadie scoffed as Jamie pushed the door all the way back to reveal her sister, standing just outside. "Jude, welcome to studio three. I believe you remember Tom."

"Hi," Jude whispered. "How are you?"

"Good," he answered nervously, fumbling with switches on the board. "You?"

"Good," Jude repeated. "This place is great."

Tommy cleared his throat. "Yeah, it is. I like it."

"Hey, Kwest, can you come help me?" Sadie asked. "I need to talk to Jamie about that thing." They left, leaving Jude alone with Tommy.

"So, you're engaged," Jude stated. "Congratulations."

"Jude, don't," he interrupted. "You don't have to do this."

"Do what?" she demanded. "Be happy for you?"

He turned to look at her. "Are you?"

"I can try to be," she replied. "This is hard for me to deal with, Tommy."

"And I get that," he nodded, "but this is my life now, Jude. Yours is off in Europe."

Jude smirked. "Yeah, it is. And in two weeks, I'll go back to it and you can get happily married."

Just as Tommy was going to say something, the door slid open again and a girl Jude had never seen before stuck her head in.

"Thomas, darling, are you busy?" she wondered, eyeing Jude.

Jude's defenses instinctively went up. _Lauren._

"What do you need?" he wondered. "I've got an album to finish for Kiely."

"The reporter is here and wants to know what you're wearing," the girl explained. "You might have to change."

Tommy groaned. "Can't you just tell them? You see me."

She made a face. "Whatever." With that, she disappeared.

"Lauren?" Jude guessed, plotting to kill her old guitarist for telling her Lauren was 'plain-looking' because the girl she'd just seen was absolutely gorgeous.

"Hardly," Tommy muttered. "That was my sister, Nic."

"Oh!" Jude brightened up. Her Lauren-hating ally. "She's beautiful."

"Please, don't tell her that," he requested. "Goes right to her head."

"Spied seems to like her quite a bit," Jude noted.

"Well, don't get too close to her," he warned. "I don't need two Lauren-haters together."

"How can I hate someone I don't even know?" she asked.

He gave her the look he'd only ever given to her. "Because I know you, Jude Harrison, whether it's been three minutes or three years since I last saw you."

Jude tried not to smile. "Yeah, yeah. Well, if she's a friend of Spiederman's, she'll be a friend of mine. Besides, I'm only here until next Sunday, after the wedding."

He scooted away from the board. "I should probably go talk to the reporter and find Lauren."

Jude followed him out to the lobby and immediately spotted Lauren. As Spiederman had told her, she was plain; pretty, but plain. She wore a simple white sweater, jeans, and black boots. The reporter was talking with her politely, but perked up when Tommy and Jude emerged from the secluded studio together.

"You wanna meet her?" Tommy asked his ex, though he didn't expect her to agree.

"Uhh, no," Jude said. "I'd rather have lunch with Karma and Eden and Shay."

He rolled his eyes. "Whatever, Jude. I'll see you later."

"Hey, you," Jude heard a female voice call to her. "Come."

Jude turned and found herself face-to-face with Nic Quincy. "I'm not a dog."

"Sorry," Nic apologized. "I have few female friends."

"Me, too," Jude nodded. "So, you're Nic Quincy?"

"In the flesh," Nic confirmed. "I figure you're going to hate Lauren, right?"

Jude looked to where Lauren and Tommy were now sitting with the news station. "Yes, definitely. We won't exactly be best friends."

"I figured as much," Nic told her. "So, since I'm apparently the only one around here who dislikes her so, care to help me get rid of her?"

"No," Jude decided. "If your brother is happy with her, then I have to respect that."

Nic smirked. "Then you're not at all the girl I was expecting."

"I'm not going to attempt to screw up his relationship," Jude told her. "It doesn't mean I'd get him back."

"Do you _want_ him back?" Nic asked her.

Jude stared at her. "I live in Europe now; I have a life there."

"Jude, Vin told me your entire story," Nic reported. "For four years, my brother _was_ your life. If you love him, you wouldn't give it all up and come back to Toronto?"

"I don't know," Jude sighed. "I'm not going to find out. Don't you live in New York?"

Nic smiled. "Usually. I like to spend time around here every so often."

"Any particular reason?" Jude teased, eyeing her old guitarist across the room.

"Possibly," Nic murmured. "I have ties here. Tommy's here, and Lee."

"And Spiederman," Jude went on. "I hear you two are _very _close."

Nic shook her head. "He's just a nice boy."

Suddenly, there was a big commotion across the room and by the time Jude and Nic looked, Lauren Osgood was on the floor, a plastic football lying next to her.

"Sorry!" Wally apologized, hurrying to help her up. "I was throwing it to Kyle and Jamie yelled my name and I got distracted."

"It's fine," Lauren told him, accepting his hand to stand back up. "I'm all right." She dusted herself off and caught Jude and Nic staring at her. "Great, just what I need."

Tommy followed her gaze. "Tag team already."

"Yeah, and it didn't help that you came out of the studio with her," Lauren added quietly. "The reporter got all twittery over it, like you were going to leave me for her."

"Hey," he said, pulling her into her arms. "I'm not."

Jude watched in pain as Tommy tenderly kissed Lauren on the cheek, so she turned to Nic. "You know what? Maybe I _will_ help you rid of her."

Nic grinned mischievously. "Now we're talking."


	3. Chapter 3

**I know it's probably going to sound pretentious or stuck-up, but I **_love _**this story. So much that **_Fourth Quarter_** is only going to have a few more chapters so I can focus on this. I love Nic and Spiederman, but I miss writing about Tommy and Jude, I really do. And after severe initial disappointment at the finale, I have to make up for it in my mind with this. So, as always, my reviewers are wicked and I hope you like this chapter. Let me know.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue.**

"She is _evil_," Jude said to Sadie as they sat in hospitality at Sewer Records, having lunch. "I mean, not in a bad way, but she's got all these plans to get rid of Lauren. It's like she's been planning it for years."

"I think she has," Sadie confirmed. "Nic isn't one to take things lying down, so if she doesn't like it, she takes care of it. Like her job at _Vogue_? She's junior fashion director and it wasn't a job she just got. No, the girl who had it, rumored to be a relative of Anna Wintour herself, was offered a better job at _Elle_, which was rumored that Nic set-up because she knew people there."

"Wow," Jude breathed. "How diabolical of her."

"Oh, she's good," Sadie assured her. "What she wants done gets done."

Jude looked out into the lobby where Nic was listening to Spiederman play his acoustic. "Do you think it's bad I've teamed up with her?"

"I just think you should watch out," Sadie advised. "Nic's more aggressive than you are, so she'll go to great lengths to rid of Lauren. She'll do things that are probably immoral."

"Really?" Jude whispered. "And she gets away with it?"

"She's cute and people like her," Sadie shrugged. "And she's not doing it sadistically; she just thinks it's best for her brother."

"And it's not?" Jude smirked. "From what I've seen of Lauren, she's so wrong for him. She obeys and bows to his every command. He needs someone to fight back and push his buttons. Someone who won't kiss his ass and clean up his messes. Someone-,"

"Someone like you?" Sadie guessed. "That's what you mean, right?"

Jude sighed. "I guess so. I don't know anymore."

"Just be careful," Sadie requested, standing up to throw away the rest of her salad. "I really like Nic, but for completely different reasons than I love you."

Nic was almost sleeping on the couch, listening to Spiederman play old Bob Dylan songs, when her brother stormed out his office, heading straight for her.

"Oh, shit," she murmured. "What do you want?"

"My office, now!" he demanded angrily. "NOW!"

Spiederman squeezed her shoulder as she followed her brother shamefully to his bland office.

"Nicola," Tommy said placidly, sitting down at this desk. "I know you're goal in life is to ruin my own, but could you leave my fiancée and ex-girlfriend out of it?"

"Whatever are you talking about?" she wondered lightly, examining her French manicure.

"Oh, shut up," he groaned. "Nic, you know what I'm talking about. When you invite people- namely, Jude- into your outrageous schemes against Lauren, make sure Pagan isn't standing behind you, doing his so-called 'meditation.' He told me everything."

"Damn New-Aged hippie," she cursed under her breath. "Oh, it's harmless, Thomas. Unscrewing salt shakers, accidentally dyeing her mouse-colored hair."

"Nic," he snapped. "Stop it. It's over. I'm marrying Lauren in December and that's that. There will be no planning and plotting with my most famous ex."

"Did you mean 'most famous' or 'most _favorite_' ex?" Nic teased. "I'm just having fun, doing a little hazing to make sure Lauren fits in."

"She does," he stated firmly. "And if you don't think so, big fucking deal."

"Are you serious?" she asked incredulously. "If I- your only sister, might I add- don't like your fiancée, who will be a part of my family, it's tough shit? No! _That's _bullshit! I'm the only family you have left and you want to piss on me like that? Come on, Tommy!"

"Nic, calm down," he advised. "My doors aren't soundproof."

"I don't care!" she cried, beginning to pace. "And, you know, if she even tried to get to know me, it might be different, but she doesn't. It's like she's thinking, _"oh, I scored Tommy Q, so what do I care about his sister?"_ And you don't even care that she's iced me out. So, for that, I hate her."

He rubbed his temples. "You don't hate her, Nicola."

"Oh, I do," she confirmed. "Pure, spiteful hate."

"You're impossible," he told her. "You always have been, but for some reason, I assumed now that you're twenty-three, graduated from Columbia, you'd be an adult and accept her."

"Like she's accepted me?" she interrupted aggressively. "I'm sorry to tell you this, but the day I accept Lauren will be a very cold day in Hell." With that, she pulled back the door, stormed out, and slammed it behind her for dramatics.

"I take it that didn't go well?" Kwest stated to Jamie and Jude as they stood at the reception desk. "I haven't seen her storm out of a room after a fight with him since she was about fifteen and he told her he wasn't going to be with Angie anymore."

"Angie?" Jude repeated.

"Yeah, Nic _loved_ Angie," Kwest reported. "Like, seriously, I think she probably planned their wedding while he was still married to Portia."

Jude bit her lip. "Ouch."

"Any takers to bet that little confrontation was about Lauren?" Jamie offered. "It is, eight times out of ten."

"Does it bother him that Nic doesn't like her?" Jude wondered. "I mean, I know they don't have their parents anymore, so she's really his only family."

"Kills him," Kwest answered. "He'd never admit that, but it does. And really, Lauren doesn't try to get to know Nic."

Jamie scoffed. "She knows Nic hates her. Would you want to get to know someone who hates you?"

"I'd want to make it right," Jude said. "I would hate if the guy's sister hated me and I was marrying into the family."

"How noble of you," Kwest joked. "Well, I'm pretty sure that as long as you stay on her side, Nic's going to like you, so if your little plan works, you're golden." He sighed and walked away to studio one to work with SME.

"What do you think they're planning?" Lauren asked Tommy as they sat in his office, eating lunch. "Bad stuff?"

"Nothing you can't handle," he assured her. "Nic, I hate to say, is still just a child and Jude is harmless."

"Jude," Lauren sighed. "Did you love her more than you love me?"

"Lauren," he said. "No." _Lie_, he immediately thought. "Of course not. I want to marry you."

"Well, she was very young when you were dating," she stated. "Who's to say you wouldn't have married her now?"

He cleared his throat. "I know you're trying to pick a fight about this and I'm not going to. At this point, Jude and I aren't even friends, so you're worried about absolutely nothing."

"Right, because Nic is harmless," she mumbled, biting into her club sandwich. "I'm always intimidated by your sister."

"That's stupid," he said. "She can't do anything permanent."

Lauren shook her head. "You don't get it, do you, Tom? Nic is your sister, so regardless of the I-don't-care attitude you seem to have about her opinion of me, it _does_ matter. And now that she has Jude Harrison on her team? If I make it summer, I'll consider myself lucky."

"Jude is only staying until right after the wedding," he reported. "She'll be gone by February."

Lauren stood up to go throw her garbage away. "Will she?"

"I love my brother, but sometimes, I really don't like him," Nic complained to Jude as they sat in the lobby. "He treats me like the eight-year-old little girl he left behind for Boyz Attack."

"That sucks," Jude told her. "Growing up, Sadie pretended I was her distant second cousin."

"Really?" Nic asked. "Until you won _Instant Star_, right?"

Jude shook her head. "No, I was still an embarrassment then. We didn't get to be as close as we are until our parents divorced."

"At least you still have your parents," Nic pointed out. "Even if you don't see your mom."

"Can I ask what happened to your parents?" Jude muttered. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to; Tommy never did."

Nic smirked. "Big shock. Umm, our parents died in a plane crash when I was eleven and he was seventeen. That's when he went got into the whole 'bad boy' image and I started shutting everyone out. I'm the most anti-trusting person in the world."

"I'm sorry to hear about your parents," Jude apologized. "Were you and Tommy close with them?"

"He and my dad were really close," Nic confirmed. "When Boyz Attack came along, my mom was so against it because it simply 'wasn't done' in their world of cocktail parties and couture, but my dad supported him. I wouldn't say I looked up to our mom, but I respected her. I mean, losing both parents at eleven was the hardest thing I've ever gone through. Luckily, I was sent to live with my uncle, Martin, and he was a great father-figure."

"Oh, you grew up with your uncle?" Jude realized. "So did Vin."

"Yes, we have that in common," Nic nodded. "But in different situations."

"His was incredibly volatile," Jude said. "His parents are both nut jobs."

Nic smiled. "I met his dad last month."

"You met Harry Spiederman?" Jude said. "How'd that happen?"

"I was having lunch with the boys at Daley's downtown and he walked in on his lunch break," Nic began. "The funniest part is that I was getting a drink at the bar when he walked up and started hitting on me. I politely dodged his advances and went to our table, where Spied called him over. The guy was humiliated to see he'd hit on his son's friend, so it was a classic moment."

"I wish I could've seen it," Jude mused. "The only emotion I've ever seen Harry Spiederman show is disinterest."

"Yeah, he was a real tool," Nic agreed. "I can see why Vin isn't his biggest fan." She was momentarily quiet. "What about his mom? He's never talked about her."

Jude sighed. "Jennie Spiederman left Toronto when Vin was taken away from her when we were eight. I remember the day it happened. We were in third grade, sitting in Mrs. Turner's class, and she stormed in, demanding to see him. Finally, after calming her down, the principal let her take Spied into the hallway, she told him she couldn't stay here if she didn't have him and his dad, so she left. I think he hears from her occasionally, cause she's living in Manitoba, but that's that."

"So his mom was my dad and his dad was my mom," Nic stated. "Personality wise, I mean."

"It's so weird that people who have these seemingly perfect lives don't really," Jude said. "Like, if I saw you on the street, I'd think, _"wow, she probably has a perfect life." _But, in reality, you don't."

"No one does," Nic shrugged. "Nobody's perfect."

"Wasn't that a Hannah Montana song once upon a time?" Jude laughed.

"Wouldn't know," Nic answered. "Your sister probably would, though."

"Dudes, tomorrow is mine and Lee's five-month anniversary, so I want to do something nice," Wally said to Kyle and Spiederman as they sat in the recording booth of studio one, while Kwest talked on the phone at the soundboard. "Any ideas?"

"Dinner?" Kyle suggested. "At like, Truffles or The Fifth?"

Wally made a face. "We went to The Fifth on our first date and weren't impressed, but we haven't tried Truffles."

"It's good," Spiederman spoke up. "Nic and I went there once when she was visiting last month."

"You two went to Truffles _alone_?" Kyle teased. "How romantical."

"Dude," Spiederman warned. "Does the phrase 'just friends' mean anything to you two?"

"Of course it does," Wally nodded. "It's just not what you and Nic are."

"It is, too!" Spiederman cried.

Kyle stepped back. "Okay, it is, but only much to your chagrin."

Spiederman set his guitar down angrily. "I don't want to talk about this because lately, that's _all_ we talk about." He stormed out of the booth, just as Kwest hung up the phone.

"Where's he going?" the produced asked. "We've got work to do."

"He's on his period," Kyle stated. "It's hormones."

"Idiots," Kwest rolled his eyes, standing up to chase after the famed guitarist.

Tommy stood on the balcony, like G-Major had once had, watching business going on below. Things were going as usual, other than his sister visiting and Jude being back in town.

"Still a skulker, I see," Jude joked, coming up behind him.

"I prefer the term 'observer,' actually," he corrected. "But, it used to be my job as vice president and sometimes, I miss it."

Jude stood next to him. "The first three years at G were pretty great, huh?"

"Some of the best of my life," he nodded. "It's too bad Darius covered up Portia's craziness and had bad taxes." He looked at her sideways. "Jude, if I ever offer you any advice for the rest of the time I know you, let it be this- watch out for my sister."

"You know, I'm getting the feeling that Nic's a bad apple," Jude stated.

"She's not," Tommy shook his head. "She's just stupid sometimes. Her choices aren't always smart."

"I believe that's a quality that runs in the family," Jude replied.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" he demanded.

"Tommy," Jude stated. "Some of the decisions you've made in the past haven't exactly been on genius-level, you know? Like, being naked in Strawberry Fields, or having an affair with Angie while married to Portia, or-,"

"Or leaving you in Asia, right?" he jumped in. "You think that was a mistake?"

Jude looked at him nervously. "Wasn't it?"

"For a while, I thought so," he confirmed, "but not anymore. I mean, we obviously learned we can be without each other, right?"

_Speak for yourself,_ she thought. "Yeah, I guess so."

"Jude, you're always going to have a special place in my heart and I'm always going to love you," he told her sincerely. "I'm just not _in_ love with you anymore."

"Right," she breathed. "Well, back at ya."

Nic stood with Lauren as they watched Jude and Tommy talking on the balcony. "Getting nervous?"

"Oh, shut up," Lauren snapped. "Tom assured me I have nothing to worry about."

"Uh-huh," Nic smirked. "Jude once told Shay, Jamie, and Spiederman the same thing before ditching them all for my brother."

"Didn't Shay cheat on her?" Lauren remembered.

"Guess who kissed her and made it better?" Nic shot back. "Wasn't Darius."

Lauren pursed her lips. "Do you enjoy attempting to make my life hell?"

"Ahh, rhetorical question," Nic nodded. "You know, if you were a little nicer to me, Laur, I would return the favor."

"No, you wouldn't," Lauren denied. "You're not nice to anyone, not even the people you _should _be nice to."

"Who should I be nice to?" Nic questioned.

"Let's see," Lauren began. "There's your brother, who is your _only_ family anymore. Or possibly Spiederman, the guy who, for some reason, worships the ground you strut on. Umm, I've heard you fight with your boss at _Vogue_. You are not a nice girl."

"Ouch," Nic said dryly. "You got me."

"Why he hasn't completely cut you off, I don't know," Lauren murmured. "He should've done that a long time ago."

"Oh, my God," Nic groaned. "You're just so damn annoying. I can't believe I'll have to share a fucking last name with you."

Lauren grinned triumphantly. "So you admit that you think he'll marry me?"

"Not if I have anything to do with it," Nic replied, turning back to Jude and Tommy. "But, I guess as long as Jude's here, I won't have to lift a finger." She patted Lauren on the back and sauntered away.

"I'm waiting for that smackdown to happen," Jamie said to Sadie and Kwest as Nic walked past them to studio one. "The Nic-Lauren showdown."

"Not one person would put any money on Lauren," Kwest put in. "And if they did, they should just give over their money before it even starts."

Jude bounded down the steps to them. "What are we talking about?"

"Who will win when Nic finally just attacks Lauren," Sadie reported.

"From what I can tell, Nic, hands down," Jude offered her opinion. "Lauren looks like a lover, not a fighter. Nic, on the other hand, just looks like a bitch, but in the best possible way."

Sadie rolled her eyes. "I think that whole spat is crazy because Nic can't really do anything."

"Maybe she can't," Jamie spoke, "but Jude can. You said it to me once, long ago, Sadie- _'never come between Jude and Tommy because they choose each other every time.'_ All this time later, I think that still takes effect."

"Guys," Jude warned. "I'm not going to like, seduce him."

Jamie made a face. "There's a mental image I didn't need."

"Oh, Jamie," Jude rolled her eyes. "I'm going to be Just Jude. With a little help from Mischievous Nic."

"What's my nickname?" Sadie wanted to know.

"The same thing it's been since everyone started telling you how gorgeous you were in sixth grade," Jude answered. "Sexy Sadie."

Kwest leaned in. "What about me?"

"You're just Kwest," Jude told him. "That's name enough. And Jamie, before you ask, Spied and I are working on it. By the end of probably tonight, everyone will have a sweet nickname."

Spiederman leaned his head against the windowed door of studio one. "Are you worried about her being back?"

Tommy, who was sitting in the sound booth, shook his head. "I'm so sick of that question or something like it."

"Just asking, dude," Spiederman told him, joining him in the booth. "I think we're just wondering because you two don't seem to have weird tension like we were expecting, you know?"

"We're adults now," Tommy reasoned. "We don't need it."

"Come on," Spiederman scoffed, strumming his ever-present acoustic. "You're Jude and Tommy; it's never as simple as, _'oh, we're adults now'_ and you know it, Squinty."

"In the last few years, it's gotten easier for me to tolerate you," Tommy explained. "Don't ruin it now."

"I'm just saying, maybe Lauren has reason to have her guard up," Spiederman said. "Jude's got a certain hold on you that I don't think she'll ever give up."

Tommy banged a fist on the board. "Everyone needs to give it up, all right? You and Jude and Nic and everyone are just pushing buttons to piss me off."

"We're not," Spiederman jumped in. "We just want to make sure no feelings are bubbling up now that Jude's back."

"Of course they are!" Tommy cried, standing up to pace. "It's Jude! I was in love with her for almost five years of my life, Vin. How could those feelings not resurface a little bit? And seeing her again made just remember how shitty I was when I left her in Asia and I hate myself for that. I hate myself for breaking her heart as much as I did. I'm not the guy anymore, but I remember what it was like when I was."

Spiederman was shocked. He'd expected Tommy to say he no longer had feelings for Jude anymore and that he was perfectly content marrying Lauren and he loved _her._ Instead, here he was, admitting he still felt for Jude, practically saying leaving her had been a bad thing he'd done.

"What are you going to do?" he finally asked. "I mean, you're the best man and she's maid of honor, so you can't exactly avoid her; not with all the bridal party activities Sadie has planned."

"Oh, God, the activities," Tommy remembered. "What's first?"

"Uhh, karaoke?" Spiederman guessed. "Isn't that on Thursday?"

"Oh, yeah," Tommy nodded. "Tell me again the people in this wedding?"

"Well, you'll obviously walk with Jude, I'm walking with Leila, Kwest's brother is walking with Morgan, and their cousin is flower girl," Spiederman ticked off his hand. "But then Nic and Jamie and Zepp and Kyle and Wally and Lee are invited to all the stuff."

"And Lauren," Tommy added.

Spiederman smiled forcefully. "Right, and Lauren. Will she even sing at karaoke? She doesn't seem like that type."

"She actually sings well," Tommy told him. "Better than Sadie, anyways."

Spiederman let out a laugh. "Ha, who doesn't?"

"That girl is a nightmare," Nic complained to Jude as they lounged in Pagan's office while he was out at yoga. "I've always looked up to my brother- don't tell him that- but after this decision he's made, I fear that he's crazy."

Jude held back laughter. "He's not crazy. I just think he thinks it's time to be a real adult and that Lauren is a good, adult-like choice."

"She's a pain in my ass is what she is!" Nic exclaimed. "I deal with a lot of pretentious snobs at my job, but at least they're straight-up bitches. She's a closet bitch and those are the absolute worst, you know? Take me, for example. I'm rarely nice to people and that's what's expected of me. Lauren's a douchebag but everyone goes on and on about how 'nice' she is. She's as nice as my left foot."

Jude leaned back in Pagan's desk chair. "From what I've heard from everyone but you, she's Mary Poppins."

"What, practically perfect in every way?" Nic guessed. "Not. Sure, she pretends to be to make people like her, but I know what she's really like. And you know, it's sad. I'm mean and they still love me, so I don't have to pretend. Why does she?"

"Maybe she's not as brave as you are to be who she is?" Jude suggested. "Or maybe you just make her mean?"

"Please," Nic smirked. "I only bring out what's real in people. Like you."

"Me?" Jude repeated. "What did you 'bring out' in me?"

Nic eyed her pointedly. "The fact that you want to help break them up so you can have my brother back." She paused for effect. "Duh."

"Oh, sorry," Jude apologized sarcastically. "I wasn't aware I needed help to realize I've been miserable without your brother."

"You're miserable?" Nic asked quietly. "All I've heard about you is how much you love Europe and can't believe you never went there sooner."

"I _do_ love being in Europe," Jude confirmed, "but that doesn't take away me missing him. Do you know what's it like to be in Paris, right under the Eiffel Tower, seeing couples together or getting engaged- that's a popular thing to do there- and be all alone? You've probably never been dumped in your entire life."

"Au contraire," Nic shook her pointer finger. "In high school, I had a very serious boyfriend, Dillon, who I thought I was going to marry. I mean, we were together for almost four years before I caught him cheating on me with my so-called best friend, Ann-Marie. Thus, another reason I choose not to have many female friends. I like Sadie and she's loyally committed to Kwest, so that works out. Zeppelin is pretty cool and she worships Jamie. In Manhattan, I spend a lot of time with guys at the magazine and occasionally my assistant, Shawn, who's a girl, but she's a little flighty."

"Yeah, those girls get annoying," Jude agreed. "Lots of them in Monte Carlo."

"I _love _Monte Carlo," Nic gushed. "I was there for spring break my junior year at Columbia and it was fabulous. I wasn't twenty-one, but it didn't matter. Other than there and London, I've never spent much time in Europe."

"Oh, you should," Jude told her. "It's the countryside in some countries that's the best."

"No way," Nic held up a hand. "I'm a city-girl, through and through. Putting me in the country would be like the episode of _Sex and the City _when Carrie went to the wilderness or whatever with Aidan."

Jude shrugged. "Never got into that show."

"Yeah, I guess it seems to be more Sadie-centered," Nic stated. "You're more of a _Jackass_ and like, _Family Guy_ kind of girl, aren't you?"

"I used to really like umm, _My Boys_ before it ended," Jude reported. "Cause it was basically my life. I had SME and Jamie and then Sadie occasionally as my female anchor."

Lauren peered through the blinds of Pagan's office and felt her heart start beating faster as she saw Jude and Nic talking and laughing.

"Stop worrying," Tom advised her in passing. "They're just girls; could be laughing about anything."

"Right," she murmured. "I'm sure they're just gabbing about Manolo Blahnik and cocktails."

He stopped on his way to his office and turned to her. "Lauren, your whole insecurity bit is already getting old and it's just started today."

"Is that what you think?" she nearly shrieked, causing everyone to stare and Nic and Jude to come to the window to look out. "That I'm just now insecure because your precious Jude Harrison is back? Jesus, Tommy, I've been insecure about being with you since we met. You're Tom Quincy! You were in a highly-publicized relationship with a girl seven years younger than you and you were in love with her. How could I know she'd never just show up and steal you back? And your sister doesn't make things easier for me, Miss I-hate-you-and-don't-even-know-you. She's a bitch and why you still deal with her, I don't know. But now, yes, she's on the back-burner because what do you know? Jude's back! She has two weeks to make you love her and forget me and I'm not sure it'll even take her that long. For all I know, you guys could have a double wedding next Saturday."

Nic's eyes widened. "Well, hells bells, Harrison. You and I may not have to do a damn thing. Lauren could fuck this up all by herself. I knew that had to be _something_ I liked about that girl."


	4. Chapter 4

**Sheesh, I feel like I haven't updated this story in absolute ages, so I apologize for that. But, now that I've given up **_Fourth Quarter_**, I have plenty of time to write this story. It's my favorite. I'm not going to write a crazy-long AN, so lastly: reviewers, all of you, **_grazie. _**You're aces.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue.**

After Lauren's breakdown about Jude's return, things at Sewer were tense for the rest of Monday. Tommy locked himself up in his office, Lauren went home, and Nic and Jude sat in the lobby, reading fashion magazines.

"Where do you stay when you visit?" Jude wondered, flipping through the latest issue of _Lucky_. "With your brother?"

"Ha!" Nic laughed out. "The Fairmont Royal, on _Vogue_'s dime, usually. I told them I was interested in working on a big bridal shoot and that I needed time to work things out. In reality, I'm here till after the wedding now."

"Won't you get in trouble when you go back?" Jude asked, eyeing a leather Marc Jacobs bag. "If you're not doing what you said?"

"Nah," Nic shrugged. "I just have to come up with some stuff that looks like I did work, they'll say I'm brilliant, and all will be well."

"Lucky," Jude breathed. "When I was at G-Major, if I took a couple days off and came in without something to record, Darius threatened to have my head on a platter."

"Silver and diamond-encrusted, no less," Nic joked. "Darius was a good guy, minus the whole lying-for-crazy-Portia thing and evading taxed. Lots of people do that and work it out. As far as Portia goes, he did what he thought was right to protect her."

"I guess," Jude sighed, setting the magazine aside. "What do you think will happen with Lauren and Tommy?"

Nic eyed her. "Slow down, Jude. That outburst isn't enough for him to come crawling back to you, yet. They'll probably make-up tonight over a romantical dinner or something. But, it's a step in the right direction for us."

"Speaking of, I'm not sure I want to destroy their relationship," Jude admitted. "I mean, yes, I would love to reunite with your brother, but not at her expense. I want him to realize it's right, you know? Plus, I've heard from anonymous sources that you might sink to low levels."

"Anonymous sources?" Nic repeated. "Like Tommy and possibly Sadie? Jude, I'm not going to do anything vicious to break them up. My favorite form of manipulation is to get inside her head. Lauren seeing you talking to Tom works absolute wonders on her psyche."

"Well, I'm so glad," Jude rolled her eyes. "I'll just call him all the time."

Nic's eyes lit up. "A phone call would be great. Like, tonight, when they sit down for dinner. You should call him for something about the wedding. Oh, it would be genius!"

"I would have nothing to say," Jude pointed out. "I'm living with the bride and groom-to-be. Any questions I have, it would be logical for me to ask them."

"Oh, come on!" Nic cried. "It could be about a gift or throwing a surprise pre-party or something."

"I'm not much for party planning," Jude stated.

"Maybe not, but I am," Nic told her excitedly. "I grew up a socialite and to be one, you learn these things. Plus, I work at _Vogue_, so parties are practically a job requirement. Yes, that's it. You and Tommy will throw a pre-wedding party, but I will do your end of the work. Genius."

Jude shook her head. "I can't do that. He'll know something's up."

"Of course he will," Nic confirmed. "But so will Lauren and she'll lose it."

"I can't do that," Jude decided. "I can't pull off the phone call to start with."

"Geez," Nic groaned. "Am I going to have to completely talk you through the next couple weeks?"

"It's possible," Jude chuckled as the door to Tommy's office opened and he appeared.

"Jesus, you two are already best friends," he muttered, locking the door behind him. "That can only lead to disaster."

"You're so melodramatic," Nic shot back. "Neither of us have many female friends so we're kindred spirits."

He checked his watch. "Lauren was going to have her nails done, so I'm going to cook her dinner, apologize for the fight today."

Nic gave Jude a significant look before going back to her brother. "You're so whipped, Thomas."

"I don't like making her feel bad," he explained. "And that fight today was stupid."

"Her insecurities are stupid?" Nic mused. "How would Miss Sensitive feel if she heard you say that?"

"Don't call her that," he warned. "She hasn't seen me around an ex-girlfriend, other than Sadie, and of all girlfriends to return, it's Jude? If you were in her shoes, I'm sure you're be insecure, too."

"If I were in her shoes, I'd be a pervert marrying my brother," Nic pointed out. "And she wears shoes from Target, so no, thanks."

"You are one serious snob, do you know that?" Tommy asked her. "I have to go."

"Tell Laur I said hello!" Nic called after him as he stormed out of the building. "Talk about a party pooper. So, that phone call," she said, looking at Jude. "If he's cooking dinner now, I'll give them about an hour and a half before we call."

Jude sighed. "You heard him. He hates when they fight; I can't make it worse."

"Uhh, yes, you can," Nic assured her. "That's what we're going for here." She pulled out her iPhone. "Give me your cell number."

"It's 867-5309," Jude reported. "Nice phone."

"I want a new one," Nic shrugged. "I've had this for over a year."

"A year?" Jude repeated. "You've only had it a year and you want a new one?"

Nic stared at her. "Don't you get a new phone yearly?"

"No," Jude answered. "Only when I really need one."

"Weird," Nic muttered, sticking the phone back into a pocket of her gray slouchy cardigan. "Well, I'm off to have a quick dinner, but I'll call you later so you can make that phone call." She collected her large pink Birkin bag and walked outside to hail a taxi.

"She's a diva," Jamie said, locking up his office, making him and Jude the last people in the building. "But one I can handle."

"For real," Jude agreed, standing up to put on her black bomber jacket. "She's a little uppity, but that's just who she is. She's real."

"Like J Lo," he joked, leading Jude outside. "You want a ride home? I imagine you came with Sadie this morning?"

"Yeah," she nodded, following him to his modest Toyota Corolla. "You know, that's what I love about you, Jamie Andrews. You're a millionaire, making more money by the second, and you drive this car. It's sweet."

"Zepp has a Prius," he shrugged. "We're not exactly ostentatious people."

"No kidding," she grinned, climbing into the passenger seat. "This is the most subtle car I could think of."

"Good gas mileage," he shrugged. "With oil still being high, though significantly lower than where it's been, I figured I'd try to save some money."

"Cheapskate," she joked as he pulled out of the parking lot and onto the highway. "I can't believe you never bought your beloved Ferrari. You've wanted one since we were in second grade."

"Again, it's ostentatious," he told her. "And pricey. Zepp would kill me if I frivolously spent that kind of money on a car."

"I have no need for a car," she shrugged. "But if I did, it would be the exact car I had."

"The one your dad has parked in his garage?" Jamie assumed. "Did you think he'd just get rid of your 'Stang?"

Jude's face lit up. "He's got it? Yay! I'll have something to drive for the next two weeks."

"Jude, I know you've probably already heard this from Sadie, and Tommy especially, but keep an eye on Nic, would you?" he requested. "She's a gorgeous villain."

"Villain?" Jude repeated. "That's the harshest assessment I've gotten of her yet. And from Jamie Andrews."

"Well," he began sheepishly, "it's something Spiederman would say if he weren't head over heels for her."

"I don't think she's a villain," Jude said. "I think she has her brother's best interest at heart."

"What heart?" he scoffed. "Don't get me wrong- I like Nic, but she's one screw loose of a tool shed."

Jude shook her head in confusion. "A home improvement reference? Who are you and what have you done with the Jamie Andrews I know and love?"

"Oh, he was forced to mature by the tenacious daughter of a musical legend," Jamie breathed. "Now, would you like me to take you to your dad and Yvette's for your car, or just head home to Sadie and Kwest's?"

"Just go home," Jude sighed. "I'm tired and I've got some thinking to do."

"Think well," Jamie offered when he pulled up to her old house.

Tommy stood in his kitchen, making his famous pizza casserole, waiting for Lauren to come home. Instead of the door opening, the phone rang.

"Hello?" he answered.

"Hey," Lauren's quiet voice came through. "I'm going to stay with Hallie tonight. We're going to Ottawa tomorrow."

He sighed and stared at the dish on the stove. "What for?"

"There's this really fantastic flea market we want to check out," she explained. "And I just need to deal with Jude's return on my own, if that's okay?"

"Sure," he muttered. "Well, all right. Have fun."

"I will," she told him. "Love you."

"Love you, too," he said, hanging up and then dialing another number.

Nic smirked as she answered. "Yes, darling?"

"Come have dinner with me," he requested lamely.

"Where's Laur-Laur?" she teased. "Beauty rest?"

"Nic," he groaned. "Let's not, shall we? Nic's staying with Hallie tonight because they're going to some flea market in Ottawa tomorrow."

"Ugh," she shuddered. "A flea market? How vintage of her. I'll come over, but I already ate."

"You don't eat alone," he stated. "Who'd you eat with?"

"You know, I have other friends here besides you," she reminded him. "Spied and I went to the diner on Waverly and Sixth."

He rolled his eyes. "Don't lead him on, Nicola. After the disastrous divorce, he's vulnerable."

"Oh, please," she murmured. "We're strictly friends, Thomas."

"We'll make a deal," he offered. "You don't talk badly about Lauren and I won't bring up Vin."

She considered and sighed. "Fine. I'll be there in fifteen." She ended the call and looked around her hotel room. Describing it as a 'mess' was an understatement, but she hated having housekeeping clean until she was leaving permanently, so she just straightened when she could. After kicking around a pile of towels, she found her tan Ugg boots, pulled them on, and grabbed her gray plaid wool coat.

"Uhh, East Eleventh," she told the cab driver as she slid into the waiting car. "No rush, though. He can squirm."

"Making a guy wait?" the driver asked with a hint of an Australian accent.

She scrunched her nose. "Sort of. It's my brother and he's an idiot."

"Ahh," he nodded knowingly. "Sounds like mine. He's been punishing me for being younger my whole life."

"Nice to know I'm not alone," she mused, typing on her phone.

He eyed the device in his rearview mirror. "You must be important to have that thing. Aren't they limited?"

"Yeah," she replied. "I work for _Vogue._"

"Wow," he whistled. "Pretty snazzy."

"Yeah, I guess," she laughed.

They rode the rest of the way in silence, and when he pulled up in front of Tommy's building, she paid him handsomely and rode the elevator straight to the penthouse floor. Before she knocked on her brother's door, she sent Jude a text.

_No call. L is away for the night because you scared her. I'm with him now, so enjoy time off from scheming and I'll do what I can. _

"You're a text-aholic," he teased, pulling back the door. "Who is it this time?"

"Oh, you know, the Pope," she shrugged nonchalantly. "He wants advice on his latest Prada loafers."

Tommy rolled his eyes. "So you don't want to tell me? Makes me assume it's Jude."

"I'm insulted!" she scoffed, inspecting his large apartment. "My whole life is not going to revolve around ruining yours, you know. Just part of it. I took a night off."

"Thank you," he accepted dryly, leading her into the kitchen. "You said you wouldn't eat, but I made pizza casserole, so you will."

She made a face, knowing he was probably right, as his casserole was one of her favorite meals. After much consideration, she sat down across from him at the table and scooped a small portion onto a plate. "If I get fat," she began, "you will go to the gym every day with me until I lose the weight."

"Have you ever worn anything above a size two?" he asked accusingly.

"In eleventh grade, when I had the really bad allergic reaction to the bee sting on my hip, I was probably a size four, but I spent those three weeks in a hospital gown, so I can't be sure," she shrugged. "I typically go between a zero and two."

"Geez," he breathed. "Should I worry about your health?"

"No!" she cried. "I have a high metabolism and I eat in moderation. Usually."

"All right," he relented. "So, how's _Vogue_? Still superficial and snobby?"

"Yes, much like the music industry," she confirmed. "But with better clothes."

He laughed. "Touché. Have you talked to Ann-Marie lately? Didn't you say she and Dillon split and she wanted to get in touch?"

"She does and I don't," Nic replied. "That's all water under the bridge for me, you know? I gave up high school when I left Montreal and I'm never going back."

"Nic, don't be so defensive all the time," he advised. "It'll give you worry lines. You're twenty-three, so don't you think it's time to grow up? Forgive and forget?"

"Do I seem like the forgive-and-forget type?" she demanded. "If I do, I'm not. I dated Dillon for four years before that two-faced, backstabbing whore slept with him. Excuse me for not wanting to sip martinis and gossip about Coach Douglas' sexual preferences anymore."

"Okay," he held up a hand. "We'll stop. Look, about Vin. I know I said I wouldn't bring him up, and this is the only time, but he's become a fairly good friend of mine, so don't hurt him, okay? I know how you've been about guys since Dillon and to do that to Vin wouldn't be fair because he doesn't deserve it. He's better than that."

Nic slammed her fork onto the plate. "Damn it, Tommy, you said we wouldn't do this. You talking about him like he's some little puppy I drag around is only inviting me to bring up my not-so-cuddly feelings for your fiancée."

"I said I'd only bring it up once," he stated. "Don't freak out."

"Then I can bring up _once_ that I think Lauren is already starting to hesitate being with you because of Jude and I couldn't be more thrilled?" she asked coolly.

He scooted away from the table and walked to the living room. "I'll pretend you didn't just say that."

"Of course you will," she snapped, following him closely. "You pretend I _never_ say anything about Lauren because you don't care how I feel."

"That's not true!" he yelled, turning to face her, which caused her to take a step back. "Damn it, Nic, it _kills_ me that you hate her so much, but what am I supposed to do? Take your side and lose her? I can't do that, so I try to ignore everything you say because I know you're more persistent than she is. You won't give up whereas she'd be moved out by the next day if I started listening to you. You have to know that what you say matters, but it only conflicts me more."

Nic sat down on the ottoman in front of the cushy chair. "Tom, you're my brother, and I love you, so I'm not ashamed to tell you this. It hurts my feelings when you ignore me, okay? I don't like it. Sure, I can play it off like a pro, but it still sucks. I'm your only sister- your only family, for that matter- and you cast me aside for some orthodontist you've only known a year? And I wasn't lying today when I told her I'd be nicer if she were; she just doesn't care."

"You might be right," he realized, settling onto the couch. "But if she doesn't care, it's because you made life hell for her for so long, she gave up."

"Lauren needs a backbone," Nic stated evenly. "That's all."

"No," he shook his head, "she needs you to back off. If you don't like her, I'm sorry, but you have to let it go. And don't get Jude involved, please? Yes, Lauren is intimidated about her being back, so let's not make it worse, okay? Jude doesn't need the drama either, not if she's only here for two weeks."

This perked Nic up. "So if she's here _more_ than two weeks, I can involve her?"

"Don't twist my words," he said. "I just want Jude left out of this."

"So, who are you more concerned for then?" Nic asked. "Jude or Lauren?"

He rubbed his temples. "Oh, I'm already so tired of this and it's been one day. The next two weeks are going to be complete hell for me."

"Only if you make it that way," she spoke up. "Or, you could dump Lauren now and I'd back off."

"My God, you're annoying," he grumbled. "I'm _not_ dumping Lauren, you _will_ leave Jude out of this, and we're going to _stop_ talking about it."

"Fine," she conceded. "You're so boring."

"You wanna watch a movie?" he offered. "You can pick."

"Ooh, goody," she clapped mockingly. "If that's the case, I pick _Breakfast at Tiffany's._"

Tommy made a face. "We watch that like, once a month."

"It's my favorite," she shrugged. "It's that or _Casablanca _and we watched that last week."

He pulled it from his collection- it was one of the few he kept there for her- and put it in, settling back onto the couch. "You're such a girl."

"No!" she cried dryly. "I'm a girl? How dare I act so biologically correct?"

"Funny," he smirked. "I just meant that you watch movies that are so lame sometimes."

"Love stories?" she assumed. "I like them. You like movies where people die and shit blows up."

"Yes, movies with substance," he nodded. "Those are good."

"No comment," she muttered.

Two hours later, when the classic film ended, Nic was sleeping in the chair, so he placed a fleece blanket over her, turned off the TV, and went down the hallway to his bedroom. After a long shower, he settled into bed to finish reading the day's paper. Before long, his BlackBerry rang on his nightstand.

"Hello?" he answered.

"Uhh, Tommy?" Jude's soft voice came through. "Can we talk?"

"Sure," he agreed, setting the paper aside. "What's up?"

She took a deep breath. "Look, you know that I don't have very many female friends- I never have- so if I'm friends with Nic, is that going to really bother you?"

"It depends on what kind of friendship you guys are building," he replied. "Nic's not easily impressed, so if you can, good for you. But, I don't want you guys basing a friendship on hating Lauren. Be friends because you have other things in common."

"Well, how about we build the friendship on how we feel about Lauren but continue it based on other things?" she suggested. "Like clothes or musical tastes or politics?"

"Don't do politics," he interrupted. "Nic's very passionate and if your ideals don't _exactly _match hers, that's a problem. It's a taboo subject. I doubt you'll have similar musical interests, because I know what you both like. You tend to like many bands of similar sound, while she's much more eclectic and goes from Bob Dylan to Madonna to Fall Out Boy to Kate Nash. Clothes might be your safest because she hasn't mentioned your taste yet, so she must like it."

"Well, I like her," Jude said. "That's enough for me."

"I know I've told you this multiple times today, but be cautious with her," he warned. "She's definitely something else."

"All right," she laughed. "Well, that's all. I guess I'll see you Thursday at karaoke?"

"Sadie would kill me if I missed it," he responded, "so I suppose so. Are you performing?"

"Oh, I doubt it," she admitted. "It's not much my thing to perform other people's stuff unless it really speaks to me."

"I'm sure you'll think of something," he murmured. "If I have to do it, I'll make sure you do, too."

"Spied said he and Nic are performing together," Jude remembered. "I'm sure that will be good."

He scoffed. "Yeah, or not."

"Well, I just wanted your opinion on my friendship with Nic, so that's all," she told him. "I'll talk to you later."

He hung up and leaned his head against the black headboard behind him. It slightly frightened him at how easy it was to talk to Jude after everything they'd gone through. Sure, he'd told Vin that they were adults and beyond petty fighting, but he hadn't really believed it. Now, here they were, talking like old friends. Before he could think about it any longer, he picked the paper up again and tried to put it out of his mind.

Nic woke up and checked the digital clock on the DVD player: _1:23_. Based on the placement of the blanket that was over her, which hadn't been during the movie, she assumed Tommy had gone up to bed, so she quietly stood up, put on her boots, grabbed her coat, and left the apartment. Ten minutes later, she stood knocking at the door of another apartment-like abode downtown.

"Good evening," Kyle greeted her, pulling the door back. "Welcome to 620."

"Funny," she said, stepping inside. "I was here this morning to make you deadbeats breakfast."

"Oh, must we do the name-calling?" he asked, feigning a hurt look. "It's very late and I was nice enough to let you in."

"Very late, my ass," she teased. "You three rarely, if ever, sleep before four AM."

"Hey," Spiederman greeted her then, emerging from the solitary bathroom. "What are you doing here?"

"I was at my brother's and I'd been sleeping, so I didn't want to go back to the hotel now," she shrugged, going up the stairs to where they actually lived. "I knew you three would be up and could keep me entertained. Wallace?" she called out.

He stuck his head in from the fire escape, where he'd been on the phone. "Yeah?"

"What are your anniversary plans for Lee-Lee?" she wanted to know. "She's a special girl."

"Special ed," Kyle whispered, causing Spiederman to laugh and Wally to glare.

"We're having dinner at Truffles and then I've arranged a carriage ride through downtown," he reported, stepping inside. "Is that good?"

Nic considered. "It should be. Truffles was a nice choice."

"Thanks," Spiederman accepted. "I suggested it."

"You did not!" Kyle cried. "I did."

"But," Spiederman interrupted, "I said The Fifth was gross and that we liked Truffles."

"Oh, that's right," Kyle remembered. "You told us about your date with Nic."

Nic paled. "Date? We don't date."

"I told them that!" Spiederman exclaimed, wanting to diffuse any inclination that he'd told his friends they were dating. "I told them we just went as friends but they're dumbasses."

"Well, can't argue that," she agreed quietly. "Guys, let it go," she requested. "With everything going on right now with my brother and Lauren and Jude, I can't handle any outside drama."

"Speaking of, we were at the drugstore, picking up alcohol-," Kyle began.

"Because we were running way low," Wally cut in."

"- and we saw Lauren with some uptight-looking friend and she was going on and on about how worried she is about Jude being back," Kyle finished. "She's losing it, for real."

"Perfect," Nic mused. "I don't want to dirty up my hands too much, or Jude's for that matter, as far as actually doing anything sinister. But what's so bad about the Best Man and Maid of Honor talking and getting along? Besides, it definitely seems to be working quite well in our favor to just sit back and do nothing."

Spiederman sat down at their kitchen table. "Are you sure Dude even wants Squinty back? I mean, she's been known to do things to please others, so how do you know she's not just doing all of this to gain a female friend?"

"I don't," Nic shrugged. "I only met the girl today. I just like her aura. All I know is that she _says_ she wants to be with my brother and I _know_ she dislikes Lauren. I don't know why everyone doesn't."

"Because she's really not completely horrible," Wally answered. "Sure, she sucks up to Quincy more than we can all stomach sometimes, but she's pretty nice to us."

"Well, pin a rose on your nose," Nic said dryly. "She's about as nice to me as Sadie Frost is to Sienna Miller."

Kyle was lost. "As who is to who?"

"You three are culturally lost," she informed them. "That worries me."

"Unless it involves music, a video game, or supermodels, we don't care," Wally told her. "So, unless those two chicks- I assume they're chicks- are underwear models from Czech Republic, whoop-dee-doo."

Nic rolled her eyes and turned on the TV. "How you three have survived without me, I do not know and I shudder at the thought."


	5. Chapter 5

**Wow, it's been a while it feels like. I'm sorry it's taken so long but I was totally lost. I'm working on getting back to this story, but it's hard. I've officially decided this will be my last, so I'll try to go out with a bang. Those still reviewing, again, you're aces. Major props to you.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue.**

Jude woke up Tuesday morning and had no intentions of going back to Sewer for the day. She knew Sadie was having brunch with their mom, Kwest's sister-in-law, and his mother, but Jude had politely declined turning into a lady who lunched, so she lounged around the house until 12:30, finally getting bored enough to call Nic.

"Just waking up?" Nic teased as she answered. "Good morning, sunshine."

"I've been up since ten, thank you," Jude corrected. "But Sadie's out all day, Kwest is at work, and I'm bored."

Nic clicked her tongue. "Well, I have a meeting with a dress designer on Baltimore, to make it look like I'm doing work, but that's in twenty minutes and won't take long. We could shop after?"

"Sure," Jude agreed. "I'll shower and get dressed and you can call me when you're done and we'll meet." She hung up and sighed. Shopping with a junior fashion director was going to be like work. For the first time in a long time, she'd have to pay close attention to what she put on.

"Well, check you out," Nic murmured when she met Jude outside of Prada on Bloor Street. "I remember seeing you in magazines dressed like this back in the day, but I'd imagined your European look was more subtle and laid-back. You look as though you've just left a photo shoot I put on."

Jude grinned and looked down at her black Stella McCartney trousers, white Ralph Lauren button-up, and black wool coat. "I put a little effort in today. Tommy said the only thing he thinks we could get along about is fashion and I didn't want to ruin that."

"Tommy also thinks marrying Lauren is a good idea, so I would invest too much in my brother's opinions," Nic stated, pulling back the glass door to the upscale boutique. "I chose Prada because it seemed more your style than Gucci or Hermes and they're my three favorites in Toronto. While I quite like it here, the shopping is for shit."

At that exact moment, a severe blonde approached them in a well-tailored black suit. "Miss Quincy, so lovely to have you with us again. And you've brought a friend?"

"Raquel, this is Jude Harrison," Nic introduced vaguely, eyeing a pair of gladiator sandals, clearly a spring item. "Why are those out? They're last season."

"Oh, well, the boots that are for that particular display are out, so we had to make do," Raquel answered nervously.

"With gladiator sandals from 2010?" Nic sneered, causing even Jude, who had nothing to do with the mistake, to recoil. "May I ask who was in charge of this _replacement_?"

Raquel discreetly pointed to a man speaking with a vaguely familiar-looking woman in the back of the store. "Callum, our store manager."

Nic nodded coolly at Raquel and strode towards Callum, who looked up at her and smiled.

"Miss Quincy!" he cried jovially. "To what do we owe the pleasure?"

"Callum, is it?" Nic questioned. Jude noticed the ice to her polite tone. She'd heard Tommy use it once or twice. "I take it by your enthusiastic greeting that you know who I am and who I work for?"

"Absolutely," he gushed. "I've been reading _Vogue_ since I was just a boy."

"Right," Nic cut him off. "As an avid reader, I'd expect that you know what's in, what's out, and what never was?"

Callum was now subtly retreating back. "Well, o-of course."

"Then do you care to explain why you chose to replace the leather ankle boots with last spring's knee-high gladiator sandal?" she demanded.

He blanched. "The boot was very popular and I didn't want to leave it empty, so I thought that it would be ironic to put the sandal out."

"Ironic?" Nic repeated dryly. "There is no irony at Prada. Prada is straight-forward, direct, and not funny. Prada is a serious design house. This is _not _Betsey Johnson."

"I'll have it fixed right away," Callum told her, hurrying off to a back room.

"Well, check _you_ out," Jude spoke up, stepping up to stand next to Nic. "Damn, girl."

"Thank you, thank you," Nic joked. "And _that_, my dear, is how Nicola Noelle Quincy- but should be Dutois- works."

The woman, whom Jude had thought looked familiar, clapped behind them. "Well played, Miss Quincy."

Nic spun and sighed. "Alana Henstridge."

"Oh!" Jude gasped knowingly. "You're the woman who does the L'Oreal Fashion Week. I've seen you on television."

"Yes," Alana confirmed. "Nicola, darling, you never got back to me on Anna's attendance for the fall."

"It's January," Nic stated evenly. "We'll have an answer by September."

"Of course," Alana nodded, though there was definite disappointment in her voice. "Well, just call my office." And with that, she briskly left the store.

"Alana Henstridge is quite possibly one of the whiniest, most frigid women in the business," Nic explained quietly, toying with a dark purple cape. "And in fashion, those are often two qualities that can be useful. However, in the case of Alana Henstridge, they're not. She's an awful show director and I'm waiting for the day I hear of her dismissal."

"Is your job that important?" Jude wondered, trying to hide her shock at the price of the cape Nic was looking at. "I mean, and no offense, but what's a fashion director do?"

"Mostly whatever I damn well please," Nic scoffed. "No, I decide what is good, what is bad, and what is ugly in fashion. Well, technically, I work under _the _fashion director, Olivia Bateman, but she's a hack. She spends her days kissing Anna Wintour's ass and talking to her French lover on the phone in cheesy Italian. I, on the other hand, meet designers and make appearances and attend shows. I should have the appropriate title, but Olivia has been with the magazine for as long as Anna has, so it's a seniority thing. The only way I'll ascend the throne would be to off her and even my mob connections are afraid to take on Anna."

Jude laughed. "Who are you personal favorite designers? I imagine it would be hard to play favorites when you have to decide what's trendy for the entire world."

"It is," Nic nodded. "I'm a Chanel girl, through and through, though. But, I appreciate Ralph Lauren, Betsey Johnson, Marc Jacobs. Givenchy and Dior are always proper."

"When I used to dress nice, it was because Portia was dressing me," Jude stated. "I couldn't tell Dior from Calvin Klein from off-the-rack. I like clothes, but it's all the same to me."

Nic scoffed. "You have so, _so_ much to learn, Jude. Not a solitary thing about clothes is ever the same." She paused for effect. "Ever."

"Sure, sure," Jude nodded. "Look, not that I don't have the money for this stuff, but do you think you could slum it for a day and shop in a mall with me? I prefer Metro Park and Guess and Lucky. I'm pretty simple; I just used to know how to make simple look chic, I guess."

"It will go against everything I stand for," Nic began, "but I suppose I could lower my standards for a day. It probably won't kill me." Another effective pause. "Probably."

As they rode in a cab towards downtown's largest shopping mall, Jude talked on the phone with Jamie and Nic had a text chat with Spiederman.

_I'm with Jude. I'll stop by later to examine your outfit for the show tomorrow_, she typed.

A moment later, he answered. _Kyle and Wally will be here, so you'll have to approve theirs, too._

_Of course,_ she wrote. _I have to go but I'll see you soon._

"Who are you texting so secretly?" Jude teased, leaning over to see. "Gisele? Heidi Klum, maybe?"

"Your ex-guitarist," Nic responded, slipping her phone back into her gunmetal gray Balenciaga bag. "SME is performing on Under the Mic tomorrow and I said I wanted to approve of their clothing. If they're going to be seen out and about with me, they can't look bad on national television."

Jude rolled her eyes. "I think you just want an excuse to see Spied."

"I think I could push you out of this moving vehicle," Nic replied placidly. "Does the word 'friends' mean anything to anybody?"

"Sure," Jude assured her. "To Tommy and Kwest, to me and Jamie, to Sadie and Leila. But to you and Spiederman? Not quite."

"I'm doing you a favor, Jude, by stepping into a _mall_," Nic grumbled, as if it were a four-letter word, "so don't get on my bad side right now. I do _not_ need a friggin' boyfriend. Especially not one who lives in an entirely different country than I do."

"Isn't there a Canadian _Vogue_?" Jude wondered, leading Nic into Metro Park, which had a rock-goes-trendy feel to it.

"No," Nic answered, hesitantly picking up a pair of Ed Hardy skinny jeans. "Canada basically gets the American version; the _best_ version, regardless of what France and Great Britain think."

Jude just laughed and moved on to another topic. "If you like New York so much, why come to Toronto so often?"

"It's home," Nic shrugged. "I mean, I technically grew up in Montreal, but I've always loved Toronto for the diversity. Montreal is also too French for me."

"Too French?" Jude repeated. "Isn't your family French?"

"Yes," Nic said, "but I needed to get away from the pretension and snobbery of being of a proper French family. My mother never would've 'slummed' it in Toronto and it prides me to know I can do something she couldn't."

"I get the feeling that you had some tension with your mom," Jude murmured quietly. "You say you respected her, which is normal, but were you bitter?"

"I hated her," Nic clarified. "I know that sounds awful, I mean, they died in a plane crash, but I did. I was so resentful towards Tommy and our father because they got along and I was stuck with Camilla, the ice queen. She treated me like an art display, Jude. I had to look perfect, remain quiet, and please others. It was a life I would never wish on anyone."

"But you were so wealthy," Jude pointed out.

"That made me more miserable," Nic admitted. "Now, having inherited that money, I don't hate it anymore, just what it represents, but when I stepped out of line, I was threatened to be cut-off. Camilla ruled the social scene in Montreal, so she was held above all else, and I was her little pet."

"Bummer," Jude said. "I always liked my mom, up until she bolted on us. But, like Tommy, I was always closer to my dad."

"I suppose I was a daddy's girl, but Tommy was his prodigal," Nic sighed. "In Damien Quincy's eyes, my brother could do no wrong. In Camilla Quincy's eyes, I could have no life."

Jude was surprised. Tommy had never mentioned his family much, other than general things, so to hear such intimate details from his sister was odd. But it also seemed like a step in the right direction for building a friendship with Nic.

"Water under the bridge," Nic spoke again. "It's been twelve years and I'm okay now. So, about you and Tommy. I'm going to need specific details about your break-up to really, fully access how to get in Lauren's head properly."

"Ahh," Jude whispered cautiously. "Really?"

"I know it's probably not something you want to talk about," Nic went on, "but it might help me."

Jude pursed her lips. "Can we talk about it later? It's a mood-ruiner and I'm actually having a good time right now."

"Sure," Nic agreed. "Let's shop."

After two and a half hours of picking out clothes that Nic would either approve of or veto, Jude was tired of shopping, so they stopped for coffee and decided to swing by Sewer to see if anyone was still there.

"…I saw your 'received calls' today, Tom!" Lauren was yelling in Tommy's office.

"Looks like someone's home from Ottawa and doesn't sound too thrilled," Nic mused, leaning in to listen through the door.

"She called you last night, at 12:45?" Lauren roared. "Is there something already going on that I should know about?"

"This is ludicrous," they heard Tommy snap. "You're delusional, Lauren. It's almost as if you're _looking_ for something to happen with Jude so you can laugh in my face and say 'I told you so.' Well, don't count on it. She simply called about karaoke on Thursday."

"That's a lie," Jude whispered. "We didn't even talk about anything wedding-related."

"Hmm," Nic mused. "Interesting."

"I'm already severely sick of fighting with you about this," Tommy went on. "Yes, Jude holds a special place in my heart- she always will- but that's it. I'm not in love with her anymore. I didn't ask her to marry me, I asked you. Why are you so paranoid now?"

"I'm not paranoid!" Lauren shrieked, causing both Nic and Jude to cover their ears. "I'm just noticing what people have seen for years. There's an intense attraction between you two and it's practically tangible."

Nic heard Tommy slam something onto his desk. "Until you're ready to handle this all like a mature adult, I'm going to stay with my sister at the Fairmont. When you're ready to talk, call me."

The two eavesdroppers backed away towards the door, as if they'd just walked in, in perfect time as he stormed out of his office.

"What's wrong?" Nic asked innocently, pretending she hadn't just everything quite well.

"Can I stay with you?" he asked harshly. "My fiancée is acting like a jealous fifteen-year-old and I don't want to have to tell her every five minutes that there's nothing going on between Jude and I."

"Sure," Nic agreed, already plotting in her head. "I suppose I could have housekeeping come up once."

He eyed her. "You haven't had housekeeping come once?"

"I don't like them cleaning up my shit," she shrugged. "I like knowing where my stuff is because I put it there."

"For someone so high up in the fashion industry, you're a slob," he grumbled. "Well, I'm almost finished here, so we can go in about fifteen minutes."

"Oh, can we?" she joked sarcastically. "Who's around?"

"Uhh, the boys are with Kwest in two, Jamie's on conference call to New York, Zeppelin just left. I think that's it."

Jude didn't have to look to Nic to know she would head to studio two. When she finally glanced to her left, the studio door was sliding shut.

"Pathetic," Tommy mumbled, looking over some documents. "She's obsessed with him and the only one who can't see it, or at least admit it, is her."

"For real," Jude agreed, settling onto a couch in the lobby. "I asked her about it all today and she started ranting about how she doesn't need a boyfriend and he lives in another country. Mostly just trying to justify the decision she's not sure she should've made about them."

Tommy sighed. "I'm not sure it's the wrong decision, but it's something I'm sure she's considering constantly."

"I'm sure," Jude smirked. "So, things aren't getting better with Lauren?"

"No, but don't worry about it," he told her. "This isn't your fault, Jude."

"Can you honestly believe that if I hadn't come home for this wedding, if I'd have stayed in Europe, that you and Lauren would be fighting?" Jude asked. "I doubt it."

He set the file down and looked at her. "Okay. Yes, you being here is a complication, but it's one we probably would've faced at some point. You don't intend on staying over there forever, do you?"

"Maybe," she answered quietly. "If I build a life there, sure."

"But Sadie said you're not building a life," he interrupted. "She said you bounce around from place to place, staying with people you meet, living out of suitcases and off of takeout. That's not a life, girl."

She ignored the past-life term of endearment and rolled her eyes. "Maybe that's what I like? I don't have any complaints about it thus far."

"You're also only going on twenty-two," he reminded her. "In about ten years, you'll want more."

Before Jude could refute, his office door opened and Lauren walked out, having composed herself since the blow-out.

"Of course," she muttered, noticing the ex-super couple talking. "My own, personal torture."

"Lauren," Tommy warned. "Don't."

She shook her head. "Whatever. I'm leaving."

"Don't let the door hit you in the ass on your way out!" Nic called after her as she emerged from studio two with Kwest and the boys. "On second thought, please do."

"I still can't believe you let her talk to me that way," Lauren snapped at Tommy. "Like I don't matter."

"And I told you we could talk when you started acting your age," Tommy replied innocently. "Until then, have a nice night."

Lauren grumbled something under her breath and stalked out of the building.

"Oh, how jealous of you I am," Nic sighed to her brother. "You'll get to wake up to _that _every day for the rest of your life."

"Are you ready?" he asked, pretending he didn't hear what she'd said. "I'll order in for us."

"Actually," she began, "I'm heading over to 620 to approve of their clothes for Under the Mic tomorrow. If I don't, they'll all wear various band t-shirts, distressed jeans, and multi-colored Chuck Taylor sneakers. Faux pas."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Tommy apologized sarcastically. "Well, what room are you in? I'll just go and meet you when you're done."

Nic yawned. "Umm, 1342. It's messy now, so you'll have to wade through my clothes and whatever's on the floor. I don't use the kitchen, so it's probably clean."

"Not surprising," he murmured. "I'll see you all later."

"Dude, you coming over, too?" Wally asked Jude. "It's been years."

"Sure," Jude agreed. "I miss the old dump."

"And a dump it is," Nic teased. "They refuse to let me have someone come in and clean it."

"Yes, the girl who won't have housekeeping clean her room wants us to have ours cleaned," Kyle stated dryly. "How heinous of us."

"Well, it is," Nic scoffed. "My apartment in New York is always clean because I always live there. These short visits need no cleaning. I don't know how you survive at 620. If a health department saw it, I'm sure it would be condemned."

Spiederman rolled his eyes and looked at Jude. "We've definitely made it more livable than you remember it to be. The upstairs is where we live, and we kept the rehearsal space. Squinty used to talk about buying something on a floor upstairs, but he never mentions it anymore."

Jude knew he meant The Chrome Cat, but she said nothing. "Well, I'd like to see it, regardless of how it looks."

"Then let's go!" Wally cried. "To the Batmobile!"

Nic scoffed. "Talk about an inability to grow up."

"They're eternal children," Jude told her as they all walked outside to Spiederman's Jeep. "It's the thing, their niche. I would never want them to change."

At 620, Jude immediately felt the nostalgia hit. The late nights rehearsing, the food fights, even the time Spiederman convinced her it was haunted and they held a séance. She sighed. She didn't need reasons to stay in Toronto; she needed reasons to go back to Europe.

"Bring back memories?" Spiederman asked as he led everyone upstairs.

"Very much so," she confirmed. "It's like I never left."

Wally opened the fridge and pulled out a Red Bull. "Well, you shouldn't have. Or at least, you should come back now. Europe, schmurope."

"You guys just don't get it," Jude mumbled, sitting down at their mismatched kitchen table. "Something about being over there just calms me."

"Because you have no life," Kyle spoke up. "Without a life, there's nothing to worry you or stress you out. It's just blah."

"Geez, does everyone think I'm completely miserable over there?" Jude asked. "I'm really not."

"You may not be miserable, but are you happy?" Spiederman wondered, turning on the TV. "And don't put on a face and tell us what you think we want to hear either, dude."

Jude sighed. "I'm content. My life over there is what it is. I'm not ready to give up and come home yet."

"Who says you're giving up?" Nic jumped into the conversation. "Maybe you've just realized this is where you're supposed to be?"

"And maybe it's not?" Jude countered. "Sure, my friends and family are here, but they're going to be my friends and family regardless of where I live. There's nothing particular to tie me to Toronto anymore."

"Ahh," Nic nodded. "I see."

"See what?" Jude demanded.

"You mean, my brother is getting married and without him, Toronto is hopeless for you," Nic said knowingly. "I get it."

"That's not what I meant!" Jude cried. "It's not about Tommy. I mean, I meant a guy, but not him."

Spiederman shook his head. "Dude, dude, dude. You're already helping to sabotage his relationship, so just admit that you want to be with him."

"No," she snapped. "It's not like that. I just don't think Lauren can make him happy."

"You're so annoying sometimes," Kyle told her. "Man, we're your best friends, sans Jamie, so we know you. We can read you, whether you're saying it or not."

Jude let her face fall into her hands. "You're right. I'm a mess. Why does he still have that sort of hold on me? It's been three years!"

Nic glanced at Jude sympathetically. "Because you love him."

"You're right," Jude muttered quietly, almost inaudibly. "I still love him."


	6. Chapter 6

**So, wow. It's been _for-ev-er_ since I last posted anything and I feel awful. So, here's a short chapter hopefully to let you know that I haven't given up; it's just taking me a while to find the inspiration. I've been listening to Alexz a lot lately, hoping to find it, so we'll see. I'm sorry it's short, but the end is a major turn-around, so I hope you like it. If you're still reading and reviewing, I absolutely adore you for sticking it out. You're aces. And I'm not quitting.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue.**

"I need to ask you a question," Nic said to her brother later that night as they sat watching the news in her hotel room. "How come you're able to settle down with Lauren and you couldn't with Jude? I mean, you were over-the-moon with her and yet, you ran when she even brought up moving in together."

It was a question Tommy had hoped to avoid but knew he couldn't. "Because she was too young and I was too stubborn," he finally answered. "Because it seems right with Lauren."

"And it wasn't right with Jude?" Nic assumed.

"It was different," he explained hesitantly. "With Jude, everything was new and spur-of-the-moment and exciting. With Lauren, it's secure and safe. It's a future."

Nic mimicked a snore. "Oh, sorry, I fell asleep. Tommy, your life is _boring_. Good lord, you make spending a day in prison sound fun." She paused. "Aren't you supposed to go to Ottawa in the morning to spend time with her fam?"

"Yeah, we decided that wasn't the best idea right now," he sighed. "Seeing as how we're not speaking and all."

"Ahh, about that," she began, plastering a smirk to her nearly perfect face. "Why'd you lie about Jude's phone call? And before you wonder how I knew, we _were_ right outside your office when you emerged today and we'd been there a few minutes."

"I lied because there's no reason to upset Lauren any more than she already is," he replied. "Things aren't so great for she and I right now."

"No shit," Nic laughed. "Why fight what we all know is bound to happen? Dump Lauren and go back to Jude."

"You'll never give that up, will you?" he complained. "That's not going to happen, Nicola. Couples fight, okay? We'll get past it."

She shook her head. "It shouldn't be so hard, Tom."

"It's not," he stated. "At least, it hasn't been up until yesterday."

"Yesterday," she repeated. "I think that you and Jude at least need to hash things out, Tommy. I mean, I know you swear nothing is going to happen, but you two have a serious past and it's not going to get better with La Lauren before you and Jude can make her comfortable."

He let his head drop into his hands. "I know, but how do I tell Lauren I'm meeting with Jude? 'Oh, hey, we're just having dinner to discuss our tumultuous, four year relationship?' I'm sure she'll just love that."

"I'm just saying," Nic shrugged, walking back to her bedroom. "She'll have to suck it up if she wants that precious future with you!"

Tommy knew she was right. But he also knew he and Lauren weren't speaking at the moment, which he hated, so he had to act fast. He pulled out his BlackBerry and dialed Jude.

"Hello?" she answered, squealing lightly. "Wally, give me my foot back!" She sighed. "Sorry."

"Umm, are you busy?" Tommy asked her. "I know it's late, but if you're not, I'd really like to meet up."

She was momentarily silent. "Umm, all right? Where?"

"What about the diner on Waverly and Sixth?" he suggested. "It should be pretty quiet at this time of night."

"I'll meet you there in ten," she offered, hanging up. "Boys, I'm out."

"What?" Spiederman complained. "Where are you going?"

"I'm meeting Tommy at the Waverly and Sixth diner," she shrugged. "Don't ask me why because I can't answer that."

Kyle handed her one of her shoes. "It's your funeral. Walking into his trap, only to have him shoot you down It's not healthy for you, dude."

"I can't not go," she stated, pulling on her coat. "And it's just Tommy. He's broken my heart before, multiple times, and I can deal with it." With one last fist bump to each guy, she left and quickly hailed a taxi.

"You're meeting with her _tonight_?" Nic asked in shock when Tommy told his sister where he was going. "I meant like, sometime this week, for lunch. Not at midnight at some diner."

"I figure we should just get it over with," he shrugged.

Jude sat in a corner booth at the diner, sipping coffee, waiting for Tommy to show up. The diner, which she and the Spiederman boys had frequented often during the G-Major days, hadn't changed at all. Everything was still retro and vinyl. It was owned by an older couple and was completely family-run. That's what she liked most about it- the comfortable atmosphere.

"Hey," Tommy interrupted her thoughts, sliding in across from her. "I'm sorry I called you so late, but I figure there's a lot of air to clear and I'd prefer to do it without Lauren breathing down my neck about it."

"Sure," she breathed. "Look, I didn't come here to wreck your relationship. Yes, I considered it, and I told your sister I'd try to help her, but that was childish of me. If you're happy, Tommy, then I'll be happy for you."

"But can we be friends?" he wanted to know. "That's what I want for us."

Jude was quiet. "I can't promise that. I'm sorry and I know that sucks, but it's true. Regardless of how well I can behave for a couple weeks, you _did_ break my heart once upon a time and I can't let it go."

"Oh," he nodded. "Well, that was rough time for me."

"Rough time?" she repeated. "Tommy, that all came to me out of left field. One day, we're traipsing through Shanghai, completely happy, and the next, you're packing up and bailing on me. If it was rough, you deserve an Oscar for your performance."

Tommy sighed. "Jude, I never meant to hurt you. Knowing I did still eats at me, but it happened. We can't go back there now, so I'd like for us to move forward."

"Yeah, well, you weren't the one who had your heart broken," she mumbled. "So excuse me if it's not so easy for me to just move forward."

"I know this isn't going to be easy," he told her. "And I'm sorry for that and I'll always be sorry for that, but we're not kids anymore. Adults are able to talk about stuff like this and move on."

"Maybe I'm not an adult," she snapped. "Maybe I enjoyed being a teenager so much I stayed in the mind frame."

"Jude," he said. "Don't do this. Come on, we used to be great together."

"You're right," she nodded. "We were great _together_. Never so much separately because there was always that tension, no matter what was going on. You think that's just going away?"

"Can't we try?" he shrugged. "It's not like we ever really _tried _to be strictly friends. There was always something in the way."

"Yes, our chemistry," she nodded. "I don't know if you're aware, but there's another thing in our way this time: your fiancée. In case you've been under a rock for the last couple of days, she hates me."

He closed his eyes. "This isn't exactly going the way I planned for it to."

"I'm sorry," she apologized sarcastically. "Maybe we're just not meant to be friends. Maybe this is it for us."

"I don't like that idea," he admitted.

"Me either," she agreed, "but I'm not sure I can be your friend, Tommy. I am really sorry for that."

"I just don't understand that," he told her. "Why not?"

Jude smiled half-heartedly. "Because I don't know how to be your friend."

"Why, though?" he demanded.

She groaned in exasperation. "Because I'm still in love with you, damn it!"


	7. Chapter 7

**So, I'm going to try to start updating sooner, but if I don't like it, I won't. I love this story and I refuse to write crap to get it done. Regardless of time, I will finish it. Reviewers, you're my inspiration. For real. I wouldn't have gotten this done without you.**

"Jude," Tommy breathed. "I had no idea."

"Oh, don't play dumb," she snapped. "Yes, you did. And why did you know? Because you know _me._"

He hung his head. "We can't be friends, can we?"

"Nope," she confirmed. "Because you're getting married to someone who isn't me and to be completely honest, I _hate_ that."

"I don't know what to say right now," he admitted.

"Then don't say anything," she replied. "Just sit there, hang your head, and realize we can't be friends. It simply can't be done."

Tommy sighed. "I don't want it to be like this."

"Then don't marry her," Jude said boldly. "I'm not saying marry me, but don't marry her. She's so wrong for you, Tom. She's submissive and petty and boring. You need someone to fight back with passion and who doesn't think your shit doesn't stink. You need adventure and fun. All you're getting with Lauren is Suzy Homemaker."

"You don't know her," he stated. "She's an orthodontist."

"So, what?" she asked. "Your kids will have clean teeth? Hooray. Can you honestly tell me that being married to an orthodontist is something you've always dreamed of? No, it's not. And why do I know? Because I know _you_."

"You used to," he interrupted. "I'm not the same guy anymore, Jude. I've changed."

"Changed?" she repeated. "What was wrong with the old Tommy? I liked him quite a bit."

"Well, Lauren didn't," he said.

Jude rolled her eyes. "You changed for her?"

"You're twisting my words," he warned.

She shrugged. "I'm simply re-stating what you said yourself. Lauren didn't like who you were, so you changed."

"That makes her sound like the bad guy," he said.

"Isn't she?" Jude shrugged. "At least, she is in my side of the story. I suppose I am in your."

He shook his head. "There's no bad guy, just obstacles. You're an obstacle."

"Ouch," she muttered. "Look, I hadn't planned on talking about _this_ tonight, so if that's all it's going to be, I'm gonna head out."

"Sure," he whispered. "I'm gonna need some time to sort this out anyways."

Jude put her coat on, slid out of the booth, and left the diner. She pulled her phone from her pocket.

_Can I record? _she text.

A moment passed before Jamie responded. _You don't even have to ask. When?_

_As soon as possible. The morning_, she wrote back.

_Nine, sharp_, he replied. _What brought this on?_

_Just got some stuff that needs to be said._ She closed her phone and hailed a taxi.

At nine o'clock the next morning, Jude walked into Sewer, carrying her guitar and old journal, filled with the songs that she'd written since she'd left.

"Jude Harrison, back in my studio," Kwest teased from behind the soundboard. "You wanna lay down the music first?"

She looked into the booth and saw a piano. "I'll play as I sing. I'm not making anything big out of this, Kwest. I just wanna lay some stuff down."

He said nothing as she walked into the recording booth and sat at the piano.

"Whenever you're ready," he said into the microphone.

Jude took a deep breath and began to play.

_Snow falls on the city  
White on white  
It's the color of hope  
On an unforgiving night  
You kissed me into ruins  
Sin on sin  
Now, I've gotta love your love letters  
Written on my skin_

_I can't tell the stars  
From the downtown lights_

_If I said I was truly over you  
My heart would say amen  
But I give in to the cold caress of 2 AM  
If I admit I can't get use to this  
Will my heart break again?  
As I fall  
Into the waiting arms of 2 AM_

_Someone's scratching music through the walls  
Sirens weaving through the streets  
I must've missed your call  
I'm gathering up these nights  
Black on black  
I know your voice like it's my own  
And it makes my heart go slack_

_I can't tell the stars  
From the downtown lights_

_If I said I was truly over you  
My heart would say amen  
But I give in to the cold caress of 2 AM  
If I admit I can't get use to this  
Will my heart break again?  
As I fall  
Into the waiting arms of 2 AM_

_Oh  
If I said I was truly over you  
My heart would say amen  
But I give in to the cold caress of 2 AM  
If I admit I can't get use to this  
Will my heart break again?  
As I fall  
Into the waiting arms of 2 AM_

"Wow," Sadie breathed as she and Jamie stood behind Kwest, listening to her little sister pour her heart out into song. "He really broke her, huh?"

"Sounds like it," Jamie nodded. "She's gotta release that song."

Kwest shook his head. "It's raw, and personal. Don't make her do anything she doesn't want to do."

"I won't," Jamie assured them. "But Jude's still got it. Maybe better than she ever had it before."

"Oh, hey," Jude greeted them, opening her eyes. "Umm, can I do another?"

"Yeah," Kwest nodded. "That was perfect, by the way."

Jude took another deep breath and began to play again.

_I tried to change  
I tried everything  
Like headlights in the rain  
Drifting back again  
Somewhere out there  
Gathered in the dust  
Sometimes I can't remember that was us_

_The stars divide  
And our worlds collide  
Surrounded like the air  
You were with me everywhere  
Somewhere out there lying in the dust  
Sometimes I can't remember that was us_

_There was a time for reason  
A place for every season  
Times I couldn't run away  
From you  
I can't believe it's morning  
I can't believe it's pouring  
Should I leave you here  
And walk away_

_I want to change  
I'll try anything  
I wanted you so bad  
It nearly drove me mad  
Somewhere out there  
Gathered in the dust  
Sometimes I can't remember that was us_

_Better now than never  
Better late than forever  
I never meant to waste your time  
It doesn't seem to matter  
Maybe nothing really matters  
Long enough to break it all away_

_Somewhere out there  
Gathered in the dust  
Sometimes I can't remember  
Sometimes I can't remember  
That was us_

"What's she doing?" Tommy asked from the door of the sound booth.

"Recording, dumbass," Sadie replied. "What's it look like?"

"That song," he stated. "I've never heard it."

Jamie rolled his eyes. "You also have seen her in three years, Quincy. Did you think you took the music from her when you ditched her in Asia?"

"What do you think brought this on?" Sadie wondered. "She said she had no intentions of doing music again for a long time, if ever professionally."

"Last night, she told me she still loves me," Tommy spoke up. "And I didn't take it so well."

The three of them turned to stare at the producer.

"We were at the diner on Waverly and Sixth and were fighting about why she didn't think we could be friends and she blurts out that she still loves me," he explained. "That was her reason: she can't be friends with me if I'm marrying someone else. So, we continued fighting for a little bit longer and that was it. She left."

Sadie's eyes practically popped out of her head. "Oh, my God. She told you?!"

"Yeah," he confirmed quietly.

Jamie smirked. "I'll bet you didn't take that so well?"

"Nope," Tommy said. "What was I supposed to do? Tell her I love her back? I couldn't lie to her. I mean, yes, I love Jude, but not like that. Not anymore."

Jude finished the soft melody she'd continued after the song and looked up to see that Tommy had joined the others. She groaned inwardly and walked into the sound booth.

"Jude," Jamie addressed her, "those songs were brilliant. Are you _positive_ you don't want to record for real again?"

"No," she denied. "I'm not. I just want to think about it. I'm still over in Europe, so it would be kind of hard to manage me."

"I'd find a way," Jamie told her. "You're my best friend and I'd do whatever it takes to make you happy with your music."

Before Jude could respond, the door slid open and Zeppelin appeared.

"Umm, the executive from Quebec is on line one," she reported. "Jamie, Sadie, if you'd be so kind as to take it, because he sounds to be in a very foul mood."

The three of them left, leaving Jude alone with Kwest and Tommy.

"So, when's Lauren coming back from Ottawa?" Kwest wondered awkwardly, eyeing Jude, who was putting her journal back into her signature messenger bag.

"This afternoon," Tommy answered mechanically. "We're staying in tonight to talk about what's going on with us and how to make things right."

"Excuse me," Jude breathed, squeezing past them. "This is definitely not a conversation I want to be a part of." She made her way back into the lobby and let out a long sigh.

"Good morning," Nic greeted her. "Come, let's have breakfast." She held up a bag from the bakery down the street and walked into hospitality.

Jude followed her and sat at one of the tables. "I'm an idiot."

"For wearing that?" Nic questioned, eyeing the musician's ripped jeans and plain red t-shirt. "Yes, you are. But for telling my brother you love him? Absolutely not."

"Umm, yeah, I am," Jude disagreed. "He's getting married, Nic. _Married_. And not to me, so what was the point?"

Nic sighed. "The point was that you got it out there. Now he knows. Now he has to let that settle for a while. And trust me, it'll kill him."

"I don't want that," Jude admitted. "I don't want to make him question anything now. I just wanted him to understand why I can't be his friend and he wasn't getting it, so I just like, yelled it at him." Her head fell into her hands. "God, I'm an idiot."

"Jude," Nic said softly. "You're not an idiot. You're just in love with a guy who's an idiot, that's all."

Jude looked up at the fashion editor sitting across from her. "What about you? You're all for me telling Tommy that I love him and yet, you say nothing to Spiederman. And don't deny that you have feelings for him, because you do. You said yourself, I'm not an idiot."

Nic was momentarily quiet. "Jude, that's complicated. Like I said, I'm there, he's here."

"Bullshit!" Jude exclaimed. "It's easy, Nic: you love him or you don't."

"I do!" Nic yelled. "Jesus, are you happy? Yes, I'm probably in love with him, but it's not prudent for me to be with him at the moment. I can't just up and leave Manhattan and he can't leave Toronto and I don't believe in long-distance relationships."

"Oh, God," Jude muttered. "Sadie said you're here at least once a month, sometimes twice. That's hardly long-distance."

"We're not talking about me," Nic interrupted.

"No, we are," Jude decided. "For just a few minutes, humor me and take some heat, please? I'm so sick of talking about me and Tommy and everything in between. Have you and Vin ever talked about the relationship you two have?"

"Sure," Nic shrugged. "We're friends. We're comfortable with that."

"Okay, you're comfortable with it," Jude said, "but are you happy? Don't you think you'd be happier if you were actually dating him? I know he would be."

Nic smiled. "He's a sweet guy. I'm not good at relationships. I mean, I'm twenty-three and the last time I had a steady boyfriend was Dillon and I was in high school. What if I'm not good at being a girlfriend? What if I let him down?"

"He was married to the Anti-Christ," Jude reminded her. "And he made it out alive. You're a breath of fresh air for him."

"You think?" Nic wondered nervously.

Jude bit her lip to hide her laughter. "I don't mean to laugh at you, but it always sort of lifts my spirits when people who look like you have apprehension."

"People who look like me?" Nic repeated. "I'm not sure how to take that."

"I just mean, you're gorgeous, so it's assumed your life is perfect and nothing worries you," Jude told her. "So when something does, it makes us mere mortals feel better about ourselves."

Nic rolled her eyes. "You're totally weird."

"Thanks," Jude beamed sarcastically. "I just think you should get it off your chest. Once you do that, maybe you'll be more focused on getting other things done."

"Fine," Nic stated boldly, looking out into the lobby. "I'll do it right now."

"Okay, sure," Jude smirked, biting into a doughnut.

Nic raised an eyebrow and walked over to where Spiederman was playing his guitar on the couch.

"Hey," he greeted her brightly. "What's up?"

"I think I'm in love with you," she admitted confidently. "I don't know what that means, nor do I know what I _want_ it to mean, but it's true. I just thought you should know." She turned on her slouchy ankle boots and made her way back to hospitality to Jude, who was watching with her jaw hanging open.

"I think I love you, too!" he called after her. "Except, I know what it means _and_ what I want it to mean."

Nic sat back down at the table. "Happy?"

"He's going to go crazy with that information," Jude assured her.

"Let him," Nic shrugged.

Jude looked at the doorframe and noticed her ex-guitarist standing over them, watching. She threw away her empty coffee cup and excused herself.

"Traitor," Nic mumbled as she walked away and Spiederman took her vacant seat.

"Care to explain that?" he requested quietly. "I mean, I'm not opposing, but it's not every day the girl of your dreams randomly says she loves you and walks away like nothing happened."

She sighed heavily. "I don't know. Jude and I were talking and she said I'd feel better if I got it off my chest. In reality, I feel sort of like throwing up." She looked at him. "But I wasn't just saying that to say it."

"So you _are_ in love with me?" he wanted to clarify. "How long have you felt this way?"

"Oh, it's been building up since about October or so, but you were going through the divorce and I couldn't interfere," she admitted. "I didn't want to complicate things worse than they already were."

Spiederman nodded slowly. "Well, it's all right. But where do we go from here?"

"Nowhere," she answered quickly. "We can't do this, Spied. Not right now, anyways."

"Why?" he whispered. "Why can't we try?"

"I can't do long-distance," she told him, just as she'd told Jude. "It's not in the cards for me."

"Oh," he nodded sadly. "Well, in that case, I wish you hadn't told me." He stood up.

"Wait, why?" she demanded. "Isn't it better to be honest?"

"Usually," he confirmed, "but not now. Now I'll walk around knowing how you feel and knowing there's not a damn thing I can do about it. That's the worst possible feeling I can imagine."

Nic bit her lip to keep it from quivering. "I'm sorry."

"Don't," he snapped. "Just fuck off, Nic." He silently left hospitality and walked back to the lobby.

"How'd it go?" Jude asked quickly as she snuck back to talk to Nic. "Are you guys, like, getting married?"

Nic glared at her. "Jude, if there's one thing you do at all for the next week and a half, let it be this: stay out of my fucking business." She turned on her slouchy ankle boots and stormed away.


	8. Chapter 8

**So, if you're still reading this story and you don't completely hate me, I totally love you. Haha. I'm sorry it's been so long since I last updated but my life has been a little hectic lately. I moved, transferred schools, have worked nonstop. It's a crazy, that's my only excuse. I apologize immensely. And I promise that, no matter how long it takes me to actually do it, this story will be finished. I'm pretty sure it will go in directions I never intended because I don't remember that far back to what I originally wanted, but I'll make it as good as I possibly can or I won't post it. I don't like crap for the sake of updating. Anyways, everyone who reads and reviews, you're aces. And if you wanna leave me a name, I'll find a way to incorporate it to the next chapter. Love.**

Tommy sat in his and Lauren's apartment, waiting patiently for her to come home. She'd called from the highway exit, saying she'd arrive in fifteen minutes, but that had been twenty minutes before and he was losing his nerve.

Before he could think anymore, the door opened and she stepped inside, setting her suitcase near the door.

"Hi," he greeted her quietly. "How are your parents?"

"They're fine," she replied. "They said to tell you hello. I told them you weren't able to get away from work but that we'd visit again soon, granted we can resolve all of this." She sighed and sat down on the couch across from him. "_Can_ we resolve this, Tom?"

"Yes," he answered confidently. "I know you've been worried about Jude, but she's not going to be a problem anymore. She's officially out of the picture."

"What happened?" Lauren wanted to know.

He shrugged. "We just realized we can't be friends and that's that. I'm not going to dwell on it."

"Tom," she began, "you have to understand why I'm apprehensive about her, though. For starters, she's got Nic on her side. Nic, your beloved little sister, who just so happens to despise me. Nic, who has made it very clear from the beginning that she doesn't want you to be with me, let alone marry me. Beyond that, it's been said that Jude Harrison was the love of your life and while it pains me to say this, I'm not sure I disagree. I mean, she's seven years younger than you and yet, you pursued her for years before you finally had a relationship. That obviously means something. I've always wondered if I'm just second-best, if one little thing could send you back to her."

"Lauren," he interrupted. "That's not going to happen. I never wanted to marry Jude. Hell, I never thought I wanted to be married again after Portia until I met you. I couldn't see settling down or starting a shared life. You helped me see that I want that sort of future, so long as you're in it."

She smiled. "Really?"

"Yes," he confirmed. And for the first time since Jude had come home, he truly meant it. "Lauren, my future is with you, no one else. If Nic can't come around, well, that's her problem. I'm not going to keep letting her, or anyone else, get in our way. We only have so much time to plan our wedding and I want it to be everything you would ever hope for."

"And you," she added. "Your first wedding was in a Las Vegas chapel to a psychotic sociopath. This is your big day, too, and I want it to be special for us both."

"It will be," he nodded, moving next to her on the couch to kiss her softly. "I'm sorry for everything that's been happening."

"Forget about it," she waved off. "It's in the past and from here on out, you and I are all about the future." She leaned in to kiss him again.

Thursday seemed endless for Jude. Nic wasn't speaking to her, Spiederman wouldn't answer her calls, and Sadie and Kwest were so busy planning that night's karaoke adventure, they barely remembered she was around. So, in an effort to feel important for the day, she went to her dad's house and visited with Yvette.

"How are you doing, sweetie?" her stepmother wondered as they sat in the kitchen, drinking coffee. "You seem down."

"That's a nice way of putting it," Jude smirked, adding sugar to her cup. "My life, Yvette, is one train-wreck after the next. I came home with the simple reason for my sister's wedding to my old producer and engineer. I end up telling Tommy I love him, ruining the relationship between Nic and Spied, and forever screwing up any chances I have at coming back permanently someday. Clearly, I should stay in Europe for the rest of my life."

"No," Yvette told her, taking her hand. "Jude, you can't run away from these problems. You can fix things with Nic and Spiederman. Tommy will come around. It's all a matter of time."

Jude couldn't help but half-smile at the woman's optimism in a time of devastating pessimism. "Maybe you're right."

"I am," Yvette said assuredly. "I barely know Nic Quincy, having only met her twice, but even I could see that she had more-than-friendly feelings for Vincent. She flocked to him like a satellite."

"I'm sure she'd just _love_ to hear that," Jude joked. "I don't know what came over me yesterday. It was like, I was tired of everyone's eyes on me and Tommy, so I tried to dissuade the attention to others, only to have it blow up in my face. They were practically inseparable and now, they're not talking to each other or to me."

Before Yvette could continue consoling her, Jude's phone rang.

"Hey, Jamie," she answered. "What's up?"

"We have a problem," he admitted. "See, I was at a business breakfast this morning, leaving the studio to Zepp for a couple of hours. As she was going through stuff from yesterday, she happened to find your recordings, loved them, and played them for our investors." He paused. "They want you back in the game, Harrison. And they've told us to give an offer you almost can't refuse."

"Jamie," she cringed. "You said you'd lock those in the vault until I knew what I wanted to do with them."

"I know," he agreed, "and I'm sorry, but they have a point. The music you have has to be shared."

"James," she sighed in frustration. "No. That's my answer, regardless of your offer."

Jamie was momentarily silent. "All right, Jude. If that's what you want, I can't make you do otherwise."

"That's what I want," she stated with finality. "I'm sorry, Jamie, but I'm just not ready for that." She hung up before he could try to persuade her otherwise.

Yvette frowned. "Do you really not want to perform anymore, Jude?"

"I want people to stop trying to pressure me to do it," Jude stated. "If and when I decide to release anything again, it'll be on my terms."

"Okay," Yvette nodded, sensing that Jude didn't want to talk about it anymore. "Have you decided on a song for karaoke? Sadie desperately tried to get your father and I to come, but it's not happening."

"I'm sure it will be entertaining," Jude grinned. "Um, I'm toying around with a few ideas, I guess. Kyle and I actually joked around about doing a duet from _High School Musical,_ so we'll see."

"That would certainly be entertaining," Yvette chuckled. "And slightly disturbing, as well."

At seven-thirty, Jude stood in the lobby of Sewer Records as everyone showed up for karaoke.

"Tough crowd," Kyle muttered as he sat down next to her on the couch. "You'd think people would be more excited for this."

"You'd think," she muttered, eyeing Tommy and Lauren across the room.

"Does it kill you that she's going tonight?" Kyle asked her. "Sadie was so nervous about inviting her."

"Well, Tommy's Kwest's best friend and he probably wouldn't come without the old ball-and-chain so I'm not surprised," she murmured. "I just wish it weren't so hard for me."

He smiled. "I get it. So, are we doing 'Breaking Free?'"

"Actually, is it okay if I do something on my own?" she asked him. "I think Wally said he had a good idea for the two of you while staying in the _High School Musical _genre."

"Sure," he nodded, patting her shoulder. "If I haven't said this enough, dude, I'm glad you're back."

The karaoke bar was crowded that night and while most of the group feared performing in front of so many people, Jude thrived on it. It helped her relax to sing for people she didn't know as opposed to only people she knew personally.

"Who wants to go first?" Sadie asked excitedly?

Nic sighed and threw back a shot of whiskey. "I will. Anything to get this over with." She shakily stood up from her chair and walked up onto the stage. "Uhh, apparently, I told my brother he could choose my song tonight, so I guess I'll be singing 'Bitch' by Meredith Brooks.

_I hate the world today  
You're so good to me  
I know but I can't change  
Tried to tell you  
But you look at me like maybe  
I'm an angel underneath  
Innocent and sweet  
Yesterday I cried  
Must have been relieved to see  
The softer side  
I can understand how you'd be so confused  
I don't envy you  
I'm a little bit of everything  
All rolled into one_

_Chorus:  
I'm a bitch, I'm a lover  
I'm a child, I'm a mother  
I'm a sinner, I'm a saint  
I do not feel ashamed  
I'm your hell, I'm your dream  
I'm nothing in between  
You know you wouldn't want it any other way_

_So take me as I am  
This may mean  
You'll have to be a stronger man  
Rest assured that  
When I start to make you nervous  
And I'm going to extremes  
Tomorrow I will change  
And today won't mean a thing_

_Chorus_

_Just when you think, you got me figured out  
The season's already changing  
I think it's cool, you do what you do  
And don't try to save me_

_Chorus_

_I'm a bitch, I'm a tease  
I'm a goddess on my knees  
When you hurt, when you suffer  
I'm your angel undercover  
I've been numb, I'm revived  
Can't say I'm not alive  
You know I wouldn't want it any other way _

Spiederman only clapped half-heartedly when she finished and took her seat on the opposite side of their group, next to Kwest.

"Okay, who next?" Sadie wondered. "Nic, that was brilliant. Appropriate song choice, as well, Tom."

Wally nudged Kyle. "We'll go."

They both stood and hurried up to the stage to thunderous applause.

"Okay, so we can't exactly tell you why or how we know the words to this next song, because it's a little embarrassing, but we like to make jokes and do dumb stuff so we're doing 'The Boys Are Back' from _High School Musical 3,_" Wally explained to the crowd as the DJ started in with the music.

_Both: Take It Back To The Place Where You Know That It All Began.  
Wally: We Can Be Anything We Wanna Be!  
Both: You Can Tell By The Noise That The Boys Are Back Again!  
Wally: Together Makin' History!  
Both: This Is Our Town, And I'm Tellin' You All,_

_The Boys Are Back!  
Gonna Do It Again!  
Gonna Wake Up The Neighborhood!  
The Boys Are Back! The Boys Are Back!  
Climbin' Up The Walls, Anytime We Want!  
The Word Is Out, The Boys Are Back!_

_Wally: Keep Dealing With The Right When We Fight Every Single Time! Undefeated Here In Our House, Yeah!  
Both: We Can Rock, We Can Shock, When We Like.  
Wally: Tonight We're Gonna All Out! I Think Its Time To Show How To Be A Superhero!  
Both: This Is Our Town, And Im Tellin' You All!_

_The Boys Are Back!  
Gonna Do It Again!  
Gonna Wake Up The Neighborhood!  
The Boys Are Back! The Boys Are Back!  
Climbin' Up The Walls, Anytime We Want!  
The Word Is Out, The Boys Are Back!_

_Kyle: Here To Change The World!  
Both: To Solve A Mystery, Fight The Battle, Save The Girl! No One Can Stop Us Now, We're The Ones Who Make The Rules!  
The Boys Are Back!  
Kyle: No Need To Worry, Cause_

_Both: The Boys Are Back! The Boys Are Back!  
Wally: Look Out Now!  
Both: The Boys Are Back, Gonna Do It Again  
Wally: And We Make It Look Good!  
Both: The Boys Are Back! The Boys Are Back! Climbin' Down The Walls, Anytime We Want! We're Sure That You Know By Now, The  
Boys Are Back!_

"I can't believe I'm friends with those guys," Spiederman laughed as his bassist and drummer rejoined the table. "Guys, that was kind of brilliant."

"Thank you, thank you," Wally bowed his head. "I thought it was an excellent backup after Jude bailed on Kyle and I decided against 'New Age Girl.'"

Tommy eyed Jude. "You were going to sing with Kyle instead of perform solo?"

"Sure was," she nodded. "Changed my mind at the last minute; I was inspired."

Lauren's heard sank. "What, uhh, what are you singing now?"

"It's a surprise," Jude replied. "Lauren, you should go next."

"All right," Lauren murmured, standing up to walk to the stage. She sat down on the stool and cleared her throat. "I'm not really much of a performer but it's for Sadie and Kwest, so here goes." She nodded to the DJ and her music began.

_Ever since I was a baby girl I had a dream  
Cinderella theme  
Crazy as it seems  
Always knew that deep inside that there would come that day  
But I would have to wait  
Make so many mistakes  
I couldn't comprehend  
As I watched it unfold  
This classic story told I left it in the cold  
Walking through an open door that led me back to you  
Each one unlocking more of the truth_

_I finally stopped tripping on my youth  
I finally got lost inside of you  
I finally know that I needed to grow  
And finally my mate has met my soul_

_[chorus]__  
Finally  
Now my destiny can begin  
Though we will have our differences  
Something strange and new is happening  
Finally  
Now my life doesn't seem so bad  
It's the best that I've ever had  
Give my love to him finally_

_MMMMMMMM_

_I remember the beginning you already knew  
I acted like a fool  
Just trying to be cool  
Fronting like it didn't matter  
I just ran away  
And on another phase  
Was lost in my own space  
Found what its like to hurt selfishly  
Scared to give of me  
Afraid to just believe  
I was in a jealous, insecure, pathetic place  
Stumbled through the mess that I have made_

_Finally got out of my own way  
I've Finally started living for today  
I finally know that I needed to grow  
And finally my mate has met my soul_

_[chorus]_

_MMMMMMMM_

_Finally, Finally_

_Finally  
Now my destiny can begin  
Though we will have our differences  
Something beautiful is happening, happening  
Finally  
Now my life doesn't seem so bad  
It's the best that I've ever had  
Give my love to him finally_

_Ohhhhhhh, Finally, Finally, finally_

Nic smirked as Lauren finished onstage. "Fergie? Really? Well, her taste in music is something to be questioned, clearly."

Jude laughed. "Maybe she needed to learn how to spell words like 'glamorous' and 'delicious' and she helped?"

"If not, and she actually likes Fergie, Tom, you've got such a match musically," Nic teased her brother. "Fergie goes so well with Coldplay and Bob Dylan."

Lauren sat back down. "Was a I horrible?"

"No, of course not," Tommy assured her, sending warning glanced to his sister and Jude. "You were great."

Spiederman scooted his chair back and walked up for his turn. "I was going to sing something of my own for fun but I changed my mind, as that defeats the purpose of karaoke."

_Cocaine flame in my bloodstream  
Sold my coat when I hit Spokane  
Bought myself a hard pack of cigarettes in the early morning rain  
Lately my hands they don't feel like mine  
My eyes been stung with dust, I'm blind  
Held you in my arms one time  
Lost you just the same  
Jolene  
I ain't about to go straight  
It's too late  
I found myself face down in the ditch  
Booze on my hair  
Blood on my lips  
A picture of you, holding a picture of me  
in the pocket of my blue jeans  
Still don't know what love means  
Still don't know what love means  
Jolene  
Ah, La, La, La, La, La  
Jolene  
Been so long since I seen your face  
or felt a part of this human race  
I've been living out of this here suitcase for way too long  
A man needs something he can hold onto  
A nine pound hammer or a woman like you  
Either one of them things will do  
Jolene  
I ain't about to go straight  
It's too late  
I found myself face down in the ditch  
Booze in my hair  
Blood on my lips  
A picture of you, holding a picture of me  
In the pocket of my blue jeans  
Still don't know what love means  
Still don't know what love means  
Jolene  
La, La, La, La, La, La, La  
Jolene  
La, La, La, La, La, La, La  
Jolene_

"I didn't know Spied liked Ray LaMontagne?" Jude murmured as he headed for the bar.

"He was recently introduced," Kyle replied, nodding to Nic. "She adores him."

Nic was watching Spiederman sadly.

"You could talk to him," Kwest suggested. "He's only a little bit drunk."

"No," she snapped decisively. "I don't cave."

"Nic, stop being a baby," Tommy told her as he made his way to the stage. "So, I haven't performed by myself in a very, very long time and I'm probably a little rusty. I also allowed the boys of SME to pick my song, making them promise to choose one I know the words to, so whenever you're ready," he addressed the DJ.

_I tried to tell you  
I've got to get away  
I tried to say  
I need my space  
I got to get some  
Distance in between  
My heart and my head_

_I'm on the razor's edge  
I've been here before  
I know the way_

_White lines  
And headlights in my eyes  
White lines  
I'm ready to drive all night  
White lines  
How many 'till I'm in your arms  
White lines  
Will bring me home_

_I held you in  
My arms last night  
I dreamed we were  
Riding on a star  
I kissed you and  
The sun began to shine  
In dreams I can do anything_

_It seems like I'm on my own  
It feels like I'm losing it all_

_White lines  
And headlights in my eyes  
White lines  
I'm ready to drive all night  
White lines  
How many 'till I'm in your arms  
White lines  
Will bring me_

_Seems like I've been here before  
I know the way  
Seems like I've been on my own  
So long  
So long_

_White lines  
And headlights in my eyes  
White lines  
I'm ready to drive all night  
White lines  
How many 'till I'm in your arms  
White lines  
Will bring me home_

"Ballsy move, boys," Nic whispered to Kyle and Wally as Tommy sat back down next to Lauren, who was closely examining the sign above the door. "Any particular reason?"

"He was being a real dick yesterday and we retaliated," Wally shrugged. "We didn't mean any harm."

Before Nic could respond, the DJ jumped up onstage. "Ladies and gentlemen, it is my very great pleasure tonight to announce that our last performer of the evening is none other than Toronto's own Jude Harrison in her first live performance in nearly two years."

Jude took a deep breath and sat down on the stool as the opening chords of India Arie's version of 'Heart of the Matter' began to play through the speakers.

_I got the call today, I didn't wanna hear  
But I knew that it would come  
An old true friend of ours was talkin' on the phone  
She said you found someone  
And I thought of all the bad luck,  
And all the struggles we went through  
How I lost me and you lost you  
What are these voices outside love's open door  
Make us throw off our contentment  
And beg for something more?_

_I've been learning to live without you now  
But I miss you sometimes  
The more I know, the less I understand  
All the things I thought I knew, I'm learning them again  
I've been tryin' to get down to the Heart of the Matter  
But my will gets weak  
And my thoughts seem to scatter  
But I think it's about forgiveness  
Forgiveness  
Even if, even if you don't love me anymore_

_These times are so uncertain  
There's a yearning undefined  
And people filled with rage  
We all need a little tenderness  
How can love survive in such a graceless age  
And the trust and self-assurance that lead to happiness  
They're the very things we kill, I guess  
Pride and competition cannot fill these empty arms  
And the work they put between us,  
You know it doesn't keep us warm_

_I've been trying to live without you now  
But I miss you, baby  
The more I know, the less I understand  
And all the things I thought I figured out, I have to learn again  
I've been tryin' to get down to the Heart of the Matter  
But my will gets weak  
And my heart is so shattered  
But I think it's about forgiveness  
Forgiveness  
Even if, even if you don't love me anymore_

_All the people in your life who've come and gone  
They let you down, you know they hurt your pride  
Better put it all behind you; cause life goes on  
You keep carrin' that anger, it'll eat you up inside_

_I wanna be happily everafter  
And my heart is so shattered  
But I know it's about forgiveness  
Forgiveness  
Even if, even if you don't love me anymore_

_I've been tryin' to get down to the Heart of the Matter  
Because the flesh will get weak  
And the ashes will scatter  
So I'm thinkin' about forgiveness  
Forgiveness  
Even if you don't love me anymore  
Even if you don't love me anymore_

"Talk about ballsy," Kyle breathed as Jude finished, stalked offstage, and left the bar. "Did she really just do that?"

"She really did," Nic confirmed. "And now we sit back and watch as the shit hits the fan."


	9. Chapter 9

**I'm trying to update faster. I just struggle cause my laptop is a mess and I have to use my parent's desktop and I'm not used to the keyboard anymore. It's weird. Anyways, to everyone still reading, you're just lovely, lovely people. I try to make these chapters long for you guys. I know Tommy will seem wishy-washy at the end but it's on purpose; he's in limbo about his personal life. **

**Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue. I also don't own 'My Immortal' by Evanescence or 'Sober' by Kelly Clarkson; I just love those songs.  
**

Jude stared at her reflection. Her hair was unbrushed, her clothes were from the night before, and she needed to brush her teeth.

"Hey, dude, you almost done in there?" Kyle called as he knocked on the bathroom door. "We gotta get to Sewer and I need to take a shower."

"Sure," she murmured as she walked out. "I'm sorry."

"You should go to Sadie and Kwest's," he recommended. "Clean up, change clothes. And I also think you should talk to Quincy today."

"No," she replied confidently. "I mean, I'll shower and change but I don't want to talk to Tommy, nor do I need to."

He sighed as he stepped past her to the bathroom. "Whatever you say, dude."

Jude made her way to the kitchen of 620 and found Spiederman sitting at the table, drinking coffee. "Do you still hate me?"

"After what you did last night, you're going to need all the friends you've got," he replied as she sat down across from him. "Can I ask why?"

"It needed to be said. I know that it sucks and he's happy with the robot and whatever, but it's how I feel," she admitted. "I still love him. And I'm trying to forgive him for what he did. And I miss him all the time. It's complicated."

"The life of Jude Harrison always has been," he laughed.

"What about you?" she asked. "Have you talked to Nic at all?"

Spiederman shook his head. "Nope. I don't know how to. I mean, it's been less than forty-eight hours since we last talked but it feels like forty-eight days. I miss her. And yet, I don't want to be the one to give in and reach out first. That's weak."

"Or brave," she offered. "Not that she'd tell me right now, but I'll bet she's feeling as crappy as you are about all of this, Spied. She really does love you; it's everything that goes along with that she's afraid of."

"I'm not doing this," he decided. "I'll drop you at Sadie's on the way."

Three hours later, Jude stood outside Sewer and groaned. "I can't."

"You _have _to," Sadie stressed. "Look, Jude, you're my sister and I love you, but you have serious problems with bottling things up. Last night, you opened the biggest can of worms we're seen in years and there are repercussions. Be a grown up and deal with them."

"I don't wanna," Jude whined. "I wanna crawl under the covers and be eight again."

Sadie sighed and pushed Jude inside. "It's time."

As soon as Jude stepped inside, everyone in the building froze to stare at her. She could feel her face heating up as her gaze landed on Tommy and Lauren as they ate lunch in hospitality.

"I really fucking hate you," she whispered to Sadie. "I feel like throwing up right now."

"You'll get over it," Sadie assured her. "I'll get Lauren away from him and you guys talk."

Jude nodded stiffly and walked to studio A where the boys were working with Kwest.

"Dude, tell Kwest this song is badass," Kyle requested.

Kwest played back their latest track 'It's Not You, It's Your Mother' and sighed. "It's missing that something."

"He's right," Jude frowned at her friends. "SME always has that edge; this song doesn't have it. It's too Fall Out Boy-meets-Nirvana. You guys don't imitate."

Spiederman hung his head. "It's me. I'm not into it today, guys."

"Talk to her!" Wally cried. "It won't kill you."

"Hey, guys," Tommy said, coming into the studio. "Can you give us a minute?"

The band and Kwest silently stood up and left, shutting the door behind them.

"What's this about?" he asked Jude, sitting down in the seat Kwest had vacated. "Sadie said it was vital that we talk."

"Well, you know how she over-exaggerates," she joked lamely. "I don't know what she thinks can come of this."

"Personally, I'd like an apology," he told her.

She turned to stare at him. "Excuse me? I'm honest for once and you want me to apologize for it?"

"You humiliated me, and Lauren, for your own benefit," he accused. "How could you do that?"

"Oh, my God," she breathed. "What happened to you? Where's the Tommy who used to encourage me to pour my heart out? Or the Tommy who used to make me smile when he walked into the room? You brought out the best in me and now you make me feel like I'm not good enough anymore."

"Don't give me this 'woe is me' crap here, Jude!" he yelled angrily, now standing up. "You're not the victim anymore. You made your bed, now lie in it, damn it! I'm getting married and it's not to you and you can't accept that. Too fucking bad!"

She stepped away from him. "Don't yell at me, Tommy. I don't deserve that. If you want to marry Lauren and ruin your life, fine. But I still love you and you know it. Maybe I'm having a hard time dealing with the fact that we aren't together anymore, but you could respect my feelings a little, you know? It wouldn't kill you."

"Jude, seriously, you need to grow up," he recommended. "You're twenty-two-years-old now and it's time for you to realize the world is not black and white. We're done and that's that."

"How can you say these things to me?" she asked, feeling two inches tall. Tears filled her eyes. "Maybe I can't handle your engagement, but you can't handle that I'm still in love with you. If you were serious about Lauren, the way you claim to be, you wouldn't have such a problem with this. You're just as scared about stuff as I am. I know you. You can say you've changed all you want but it's true."

Tommy scoffed. "You're so naïve, Jude. I'm not doing all this for me. You make Lauren uncomfortable and it's my job to defend her."

"Because she can't," she interrupted. "If she has a problem with me and the way I express myself, _she_ should talk to me. This Knight-In-Shining-Armor act is really unbecoming of you."

"I don't want you to be in love with me anymore," he told her coolly. "I want you to just forget about it."

Hearing this hit Jude like a ton of bricks. "You want me to forget our relationship?"

"Yes," he said, hating himself as soon as he said it. "No, Jude, I didn't mean th-,"

"Stop," she demanded. "I have to go. This was a terrible, terrible idea." She went to push past him and he grabbed her arm. "Let go."

"I shouldn't have said that," he said hurriedly. "It came out wrong."

"No, I think it came out exactly how you meant it," she snapped, pulling her arm away. "I have to get out of here. I can't breathe." She slammed back the door and stormed into the lobby.

"Jude, you okay?" Spiederman asked her.

"No!" she screamed. "I'm not okay! I think you're crazy for ignoring Nic. And I think that she's an idiot for telling you she loves you. It only ruins everything. And I think Lauren is going to regret marrying Tommy because she doesn't know the real him; she only knows the guy he wants her to know." She faced Lauren. "I'm sorry but the real Tommy will come out and you won't know what to do because he'll shut you out. That's what he does." She stopped to breathe. "I shouldn't have come back here. I didn't realize that doing something nice would just screw everyone else up." She picked up her coat and left Sewer quickly.

"Whoa, where are you going?" Nic asked out on the sidewalk. "I came to talk."

"I've done enough Quincy-talking today," Jude muttered. "Talk to Spied, not me."

Nic made her way into Sewer and immediately locked eyes with Spiederman. "Can we talk?"

"Okay," he nodded. "We can go to Pagan's office; he's at yoga."

"Cool," she breathed as she followed him across the room and into the office. "How are you?"

"Well, I'm a little worried about my best friend who just stormed outta here after talking to your brother," he admitted. "But, beyond that, I'm not so bad."

"I miss you," she told him honestly. "I don't want to fight anymore. I don't want to be what Jude and Tom have become. They can't even be in the same room without fighting or hurting the other."

He eyed her. "How can we be them if we've never dated?"

"What if we do?" she shrugged. "I don't think it would kill me."

"You don't think so, huh?" he smirked. "Are you sure about that? I don't want to say we're going to date now and then in two weeks, you decide it's not right for you and only let me know once you're on a plane back to Manhattan."

Nic shook her head as she stepped closer to him. "I promise to be good."

"Who said anything about you being good?" he murmured, leaning in to finally kiss her. "Damn, I've waited a long time to do that."

"Yeah, yeah," she laughed, pressing her forehead against his. "I waited a long time, too."

Jude made it back to Sadie and Kwest's and threw herself onto her bed. She was thoroughly amazed she'd been in love with a guy like Tommy for as long as she had. And yet, she still was. There was a part of her that always would be. For as much as she loved her sister and Jamie and Spiederman, no one knew her the way Tommy did. Or understood her. They were a perfect pair and it devastated her to see him attempt that with anyone else, especially with someone like Lauren. She was a preppy princess marrying a moody grump. _Jude's_ moody grump, to be precise. It was only a matter of time before Tommy realized he was meant to be with Jude and she was afraid of giving in, even after the horrible things he'd said and done.

"Jude?" Sadie called out an hour later. "Are you here?"

"Yeah," Jude weakly called back.

Sadie appeared in the doorway. "Hi."

"Hello," Jude said back.

"Tommy told us you fought and he said things he didn't mean," Sadie told her, sitting on the edge of Jude's bed. "He feels bad."

"Right," Jude scoffed. "He meant what he said, Sade. You tend to always mean what you say when you say it quickly. Trust me, I know."

"I think you should try talking to him again," Sadie stated calmly. "I know you don't want to hear that, but it's true. The two of you need to be on decent terms."

"Why?" Jude demanded. "Right now, I can't say that I don't hate him."

"Oh, you do not," Sadie rolled her eyes. "You're just upset that you have unfinished business you know you have to deal with now."

"I booked my flight back after the wedding," Jude admitted quietly. "I fly to Paris at six AM Monday morning."

"So soon?" Sadie murmured. "Jude, you should stick around for a while. Everyone is thrilled to have you back."

"Not everyone," Jude corrected. "Who am I kidding here, Sadie? Yes, for the most part, I'm here because I'm thrilled for you and Kwest, but I'd be lying if I said there wasn't a part of me that came to work things out with Tommy."

"You can't just expect things like that," Sadie told her. "I know you'd like to, but it's been over three years."

"Has it?" Jude snapped. "Has it been three years, Sadie? Thank you. I had no idea. I haven't been practically counting the fucking hours since he left me in Asia."

Sadie recoiled slightly. "Okay, okay. I get it. Jude, I don't mean to sound harsh or cruel here, but you're nearly twenty-two-years old now. Grow up."

Jude glared at her sister. "You know, if I thought you were going to reprimand me like a child, I wouldn't have come here. You don't get it, Sade. It's complicated between Tommy and I."

"Fine," Sadie nodded, standing up. "Kwest and I are having dinner with Morgan and her husband tonight so you're on your own."

"Cool," Jude grumbled. "I'll order pizza and watch _Bridget Jones's Diary_."

"Good idea," Sadie whispered sarcastically as she left the room. "Play the victim."

Tommy was locking his office that afternoon when he heard the front door open and then close. He turned and found himself face-to-face with Jude.

"What are you doing here?" he asked. "Actually, I'm glad you're here. I wanted to apologize for earlier."

Jude looked around. "Did everyone leave?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "This is the first time I've ever had to lock up cause Andrews typically lives here."

"Oh," she mumbled. "Well, I guess I'll go. I tried calling Spiederman but he hasn't been answering."

"He actually left with my sister about an hour ago," Tommy reported. "Apparently, something you said forced them to reconcile."

"Good," she grinned half-heartedly, turning to leave. "I'll see you later."

Jude pushed on the door and it wouldn't budge. She pushed harder and nothing happened.

"Is it locked?" he asked. "I have a key." He made his way over to her and shoved his key into the lock. Again, nothing. Tommy pulled out his BlackBerry to call Jamie and found he had a text message from his boss.

_"Tom, you gotta be out by five today because the security company is re-doing the locks. If not, you're locked in until five AM."_

"No," he breathed. "It's only ten after."

"What?" she wondered, looking over at him. "Is Jamie not answering?"

He showed her the message. "Problem."

Jude's face fell. "You've got to be kidding me. I gotta get outta here. This is not good."

"It's like your seventeenth birthday all over again," he muttered. "I don't think there's anything we can do because the security company works from Salt Lake."

"Oh, my God," she whimpered, pulling out her phone. "Jamie's gotta do something."

"No can do," Jamie said a few minutes later when she got him on the phone. "Tom should've checked his messages. You shouldn't even be there."

"It's not a matter of what I should and shouldn't be!" she yelled. "It is what it is and I want out now!"

"Jude, I'm sorry," he apologized. "There's really nothing I can do or I would."

"Fuck," she grumbled, hanging up.

Tommy appeared from his office. "Are you hungry? There's a pizza in hospitality."

"Fine," she shrugged in defeat. "God, what are we supposed to do for the next twelve hours. I can't sleep that long anymore."

He laughed. "You could record."

"No," she stated simply. "Definitely not happening."

"Why?" he asked.

"That's really none of your business," she replied. "Why am I even talking to you? You spoke to me like I didn't matter today."

He sat down next to her on the couch. "I told you I didn't mean it and I meant that. I was out of line. Jude, you meant more to me than anyone for several years and I can't just forget that. It's also been three years and I've moved on. I think it would be best if you did, too."

"Uh-huh," she mused, walking into studio one, knowing he would follow. "You wanna know why I can't record? Because every song I've written in the last four years has been about you and I'm not sure you want to hear them."

"I do," he nodded. "I really think you're one of the greatest talents I've ever heard, regardless of how things have turned out."

She smirked. "Fine. I've got one."

Tommy sat down at the soundboard as she walked into the booth. "You wanna play as you go?"

"Sure," she agreed, sitting down at the piano. "It's called 'My Immortal.'"

_I'm so tired of being here  
Suppressed by all my childish fears  
And if you have to leave  
I wish that you would just leave  
'Cause your presence still lingers here  
And it won't leave me alone_

_These wounds won't seem to heal  
This pain is just too real  
There's just too much that time cannot erase_

_[Chorus:]__  
When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears  
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears  
And I held your hand through all of these years  
But you still have  
All of me_

_You used to captivate me  
By your resonating light  
Now I'm bound by the life you left behind  
Your face it haunts  
My once pleasant dreams  
Your voice it chased away  
All the sanity in me_

_These wounds won't seem to heal  
This pain is just too real  
There's just too much that time cannot erase_

_[Chorus]_

_I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone  
But though you're still with me  
I've been alone all along_

_[Chorus]_

"When did you write that?" he asked quietly once she'd finished.

"Towards the end," she answered softly. "I knew it was happening; I hated admitting it, but I knew. You were so different. At that point, I wanted it to happen. I wanted _something_ to happen."

Tommy was silent. "Why didn't you ever say anything?"

"When?" she scoffed. "After you shot down the idea of us living together, I was practically on my own until you disappeared. You were lifeless for two months. I couldn't deal with it anymore."

"Then why now?" he wanted to know. "Why do you want things to be different now?"

"I guess I thought we've both grown up now," she replied honestly. "But I realized today that I haven't because if I had, I wouldn't still be chasing you. I'd realize that we shouldn't be together. You're not the right guy for me. I deserve better."

He eyed her. "I'm not the bad guy here, Jude."

She raised an eyebrow. "No?"

"No," he confirmed. "I'm sorry things happened the way they did but don't say you deserve better. We were great together."

"You're right," she agreed. "We _were_. Are you and Lauren great together?"

"We're right together," he said.

Jude smirked and opened the door to the lobby. "That's not what I asked, Tom."

"Don't twist my words," he warned, following her once again. "I love Lauren."

"Wonderful," she deadpanned. "But are you really _in_ love with her? I'm sorry and I'm sure I'm overstepping my bounds here, but I don't think you are. I think you think it's time for you to get married and Lauren fit the Stepford wife ideal."

Tommy wanted to defend himself and Lauren but he stopped to think. For the first time since proposing, he wondered if Jude was right. When he and Jude were together, he used to brighten up when she entered the room; Lauren didn't do that for him. Jude was passionate and irrational and wild; Lauren was stable and logical and composed. They were complete opposites and he realized there was no way he could be rightfully attracted to both.

"Jude," he murmured. "Maybe you're right."

She faltered slightly. "I am?"

"Yes," he said confidently, stepping towards her. "How could I not see it before? Lauren's not the right woman for me; she's not you." He leaned in to kiss her.

Jude couldn't help but respond. She'd wanted this for three and a half years and it was as if they'd never been apart.

When he pulled away, her immediate response was to smile. "It took you long enough."

"I'm sorry," he whispered, rubbing his thumbs on her cheeks. "I don't think I knew it was what I wanted until just now." He pressed his forehead to hers. "Anymore songs you wanna sing?"

Jude thought. "Sure, one more."

They walked back to the studio and she sat down at the piano. "It's supposed to be acoustic but I can play it on this." She cleared her throat. "It's called 'Sober.'"

_And I don't know  
This could break my heart or save me  
Nothing's real  
Until you let go completely  
So here I go with all my thoughts I've been saving  
So here I go with all my fears weighing on me_

_Three months and I'm still sober  
Picked all my weeds but kept the flowers  
But I know it's never really over_

_And I don't know  
I could crash and burn but maybe  
At the end of this road I might catch a glimpse of me  
So I won't worry about my timing, I want to get it right  
No comparing, second guessing, no not this time_

_Three months and I'm still breathing  
Been a long road since those hands I left my tears in but I know  
It's never really over, no_

_Wake up_

_Three months and I'm still standing here  
Three months and I'm getting better yeah  
Three months and I still am_

_Three months and it's still harder now  
Three months I've been living here without you now  
Three months yeah, three months_

_Three months and I'm still breathing  
Three months and I still remember it  
Three months and I wake up_

_Three months and I'm still sober  
Picked all my weeds but kept the flowers_

He smiled when she finished. "You should do this again."

"What?" she wondered. "Record at Sewer and live in Toronto again? I'm not sure I'm that girl anymore."

"Why?" he asked softly. "Because of me?"

"Yeah," she nodded honestly. "Because I can't come back here unless I know I can have you."

Tommy sighed. "It's complicated, Jude."

"Right," she mumbled, walking out to the lobby. "Of course it is."

He hurried after her, grabbed her wrist, and spun her to face him. "I don't know what I want right now."

"So you'll what, marry Lauren until you figure it out?" she demanded. "You just said you couldn't marry her cause she's not me and here you are, taking it back. Why am I not surprised? I can't sit and watch you throw your life away like that, Tommy. Do you want another divorce under your belt by thirty? That's what'll happen because you know she's not right for you."

"I don't know that," he whispered, sitting down on the couch. "Maybe she is, maybe you are. I don't know."

Jude sat down next to him. "Oh, please. You know. It's me. I don't mean to brag or sound overly confident, but I just know. It's always been the Jude and Tommy Show. There was never supposed to be a Lauren."

"What if there was?" he asked. "What if I was supposed to fall in love with her?"

"I don't believe that," she shrugged. "That's all I can say about it, I guess."

They spent the rest of the night there on the couch, talking and laughing and remembering the days of G-Major. Tommy only kissed her once more, on the forehead, when she fell asleep leaning up against him. He closed his eyes and was sleeping several minutes later.

"Oh, my God," a familiar voice said, waking him up. "What's going on here?"

Tommy opened an eye and found Jamie and Zeppelin standing over them, their eyes wide open in shock. Just behind them, Lauren stood stoically, staring at a sleeping Jude, who'd turned over during the night and was lying across Tommy's chest. There was no emotion on her face.

"Shit," he breathed.

"Shit is right," Jamie mumbled. "It's officially just hit the fan."


	10. Chapter 10

**I'm really trying to write this quicker than I've been known to. The end of this chapter is a little odd, but I wanted Jude and Spiederman to do something crazy together like they would've when they were in high school. Plus, I like Jude's decision. For those still reading, really, you're just wonderful. This story will eventually be finished and hopefully it'll be during the summer. Once school is done for the semester, I'll have a lot more time. Read, review, you know the drill.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue. I also don't own "Just Like a Woman" by Bob Dylan or "Frozen" by whoever wrote it.  
**

Tommy hurried to pull his coat on as he chased Lauren outside onto the sidewalk. "It's not what it looked like!"

"Right," she scoffed angrily, turning to face him. "And what was it, Tom? The electricity went out last night and you huddled together for warmth?"

"We were just talking, sort of making amends for closure, and fell asleep," he assured her. "Don't read so much into it, Laur."

She was fuming. "I'm supposed to marry you, Tom. Of course I'm going to read too far into it. My God, I caught you sleeping incredibly close to the ex-girlfriend everyone assumes you're still in love with. Excuse me for that."

"I love you," he told her, still questioning how much he meant it. "You believe me, don't you?"

"I don't know," she admitted. "I'm beginning to question everything now that the child is in town."

Tommy closed his eyes. "She's grown up a lot. I underestimated her. But that doesn't change how I feel about you."

"I have to go," Lauren sighed. "I'll see you at the apartment later."

Jude sat in the lobby, placidly staring off into space. Last night had been surreal. First, she'd been stuck in Sewer with Tommy. Then, he'd admitted he couldn't marry Lauren because she wasn't Jude and kissed her. Finally, he'd told her things were complicated and they fell asleep reminiscing about old times. Now, he'd gone to chase after Lauren and she was confused as ever.

"Um, Jude?"

Jude finally looked up to see Zeppelin standing over her. "Yeah?"

"Are you all right?" Zeppelin asked her. "You're just kind of sitting here."

"I'm processing," Jude explained. "Am I in the way? I can go."

"No," Zeppelin shook her head. "I was just making sure you're all right."

"Thanks," Jude smiled. "I'll be fine."

Zeppelin nodded. "Well, it's Saturday, so we're not expecting anyone today."

"Sadie has plans for us tonight but I can't remember what," Jude stated.

"I think it's the bridal party dinner," Zeppelin told her. "She's been reminding people about it all week."

"Right," Jude mumbled. "Thanks, Zepp."

"If you need anything, I'll be in my office," Zeppelin told her tentatively.

Jude only stayed for another few minutes before walking outside to hail a cab.

"Jude."

She closed her eyes and turned to face Tommy. "Yeah?"

"We should talk," he said.

"No," she shook her head. "Here's what the next week is going to be, okay? I can't do this anymore. It's not that I'm too old or anything, obviously, but this game sure as hell is. You're just as confused about what you want now as you were four years ago and I'm exhausted. With that said, no contact. We'll do our wedding party duties and that's it."

His face fell. "This day is not going well for me."

"What do you want, Tom?" she demanded. "You can't have your cake and it eat, too! I'm not going to sit around and wait while you decide what you want." A cab pulled up and she opened the door. "I'll see you around."

Spiederman and Nic were eating a late breakfast when Jude burst into 620.

"It has been nonstop drama with you since the great return," Spiederman said as she joined them at the square table in the kitchen. "What now?"

As she recounted for them her entire night, tears started rolling down her cheeks.

"I do love him," she said as she finished, "but I just _can't_ do this anymore. Nothing with Tommy and I will ever be easy."

Nic made eye contact with Spiederman and placed her hand over Jude's. "Have you ever considered that you don't like relationships that are 'easy' then?"

"Who doesn't want easy?" Jude asked.

"I'm just saying, look at your history," Nic went on. "Shay- egotistical diva. Jamie- your absolute best friend. This guy- your beloved guitarist. My brother- the crown jewel of drama. You never go for the guy at the record store or the math nerd. Well, Jamie, but that's beside the point. In all honesty, just from what I've heard and from what I can tell, you like the work. It's exciting for you. I'm the same way. I've never dated the photographer from the June cover shoot or my shoe repair guy." She winked at Spiederman. "That's not a bad thing. You just have to own up to it. I have. It's not prudent for me to be dating a rock star in another country but it's what I want. The question is, what do _you_ want?"

"Your brother," Jude admitted. "But not all this baggage. Maybe I just need to move on. To go back to Europe and stay there. 'Out of sight, out of mind' and all that, right?"

"Or 'absence makes the heart grow fonder,'" Spiederman said. "If I know anything, it's bad clichés. Every song on our last album had one in it."

"I know," Jude smirked. "I liked that little gimmick; very SME."

He grinned. "I wish I could take credit but I can't. It was Kyle's idea cause Wally had one of his Word of the Day calendars with clichés on them and he thought they were funny."

"Jude," Nic interrupted, "what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to do what I came here to do," Jude stated. "I didn't come here to sabotage Tommy's relationship or break them up. I came to be my sister's maid of honor. I told him we couldn't have any contact unless it's wedding related."

Nic sighed. "Do you think that's a good idea?"

"Yes, because I can't make his decisions for him," Jude replied. "I can't wait hopefully at his door, just praying he'll pick me over her. I'm better than that."

"Okay," Spiederman said, making eye contact with Nic. "If that's what you want, that's what you should do."

Jude pressed her forehead to the table. "Can I eat something?"

"Help yourself," Spiederman waved, gesturing to the pantry. "There are various cereals, eggs, or Pop-Tarts."

Tommy spent the day in Nic's hotel room, watching ESPN and eating cold pizza. The perfect life he thought he had was crumbling around him and he wasn't sure what he wanted anymore.

"Make a list," Nic suggested when she returned after dinner with Lee. "Pros and cons of each. Personally, I can't imagine a single positive aspect to Lauren, but you can, so try that. It works for some people."

"Sure, analyzers," he confirmed. "I'm more for going with my heart, Nicola."

"Then what's it saying?" she asked.

He threw his hands up. "I don't know! I feel like I'm being pulled in two different directions."

"If that's the case, you really shouldn't be marrying Lauren anytime soon," she told him softly. "And I'm not just saying that because I don't like the girl. Even she deserves better."

He sighed. "You're right. But I'm not calling off my engagement. What if I decide I want to be with Lauren and it's too late?"

Nic shrugged as she headed for her room. "I don't know, Thomas. But, in my opinion, when it comes down to it, it's not going to be Lauren that you want."

Dinner that night for the bridal party was held at Hal's, a popular steak restaurant that overlooked downtown Toronto. Jude tried to seem positive and upbeat but the last twenty-four hours had definitely taken their toll on her.

"Jude, what do you think?" Sadie asked.

"Hmm?" Jude mused. "About what?"

"About our wedding song," Sadie answered. "'At Last.' I know it's totally unoriginal and cliché, but it really describes Kwest and me. It took a lot for us to get here."

Jude nodded. "It's great, Sades."

"Where's your head at tonight, Harrison?" Leila asked. "You've been a major space cadet."

"Sorry," Jude apologized. "My return home hasn't exactly been what I thought it would be."

"Yeah, Sadie told us about your night," Morgan stated. "That's awful."

"I should've expected it," Jude shrugged. "It's never been easy with Tommy. Even when we were together, there were various complications."

"So wouldn't you be better off without him?" Leila asked.

Jude shrugged. "I don't know. It's not something I'm ready to figure out."

"You should," Sadie told her. "It's not healthy for you to be like this anymore."

"Sadie, I'm done talking about it," Jude snapped. "I told him he and I are only on speaking terms if it's about the wedding and I don't want to discuss him outside of wedding-related topics."

Sadie leaned back in her chair. "All right, fine. Just so you know, tomorrow afternoon is the wedding party bonding session."

"The what?" Jude groaned. "Isn't that what karaoke was?"

"No," Sadie shook her head. "Most of us were drunk and not everyone was there. This is just the wedding party and we're having lunch at Pazzo and then playing poker at Morgan's."

Jude paled. "Pazzo?"

"Is that bad?" Leila wondered. "I know the chef from my halfway house days."

"It's just the last place Tommy and I had dinner at when we were in Toronto," Jude explained. "It was probably the best night of my life to date."

"I'm sorry," Sadie apologized quietly. "Kwest and I had no idea."

"It's fine," Jude smiled. "No Tommy-related conversations, remember?"

"Yes," Morgan spoke up. "Let's talk about the honeymoon."

Tommy made his way home to his penthouse late Saturday night, hoping Lauren was already asleep so he could sneak in and crash on their couch. He was wrong.

"I wondered if you'd come here," she murmured from her seat in the living room as he kicked off his shoes.

"Since it is _my_ apartment, I figured it would be okay," he replied, angry that she hadn't let him explain that morning.

Lauren removed her black-rimmed glasses and set her book aside. "Who are you to think you have the right to be angry, Tom?"

"You walked off before I could get one word out, Lauren," he said angrily, standing over the coffee table.

"Oh, you got your words out," she shot back, standing to face him. "You said 'she's grown up a lot' and 'I underestimated her.' You may as well have said 'I still love her,' Tom." She paused and looked him straight in the eye. "Do you?"

Tommy knew the lying hadn't been working out for him in the last week so he took the safest route and told the truth. "I don't know."

Her face fell. "Well, I should've expected that, huh? I guess I was always kidding myself when I thought she was out of the picture for good. She'll always been on that pedestal, won't she?"

"Again, I don't know," he replied honestly. "Lauren, I know that I do love you, but I also love Jude. It's hard for me to deal with this right now."

"Well, thanks for the honesty," she whispered. "For now, I'm going to stay with Hallie. I get that you're confused and I can appreciate that you're not trying to lead me on, but I can't stay here with you."

"Will we talk?" he asked.

"I think that we should," she nodded. "I don't want to lose you, Tom, but I don't want to have to work so hard to keep you."

He put a hand on her cheek. "I'm sorry."

She patted his hand and then removed it. "I know."

Five minutes later, Lauren was gone and Tommy was alone in the penthouse he hadn't been alone in for four months. He sat down on the couch and groaned when the door opened and Nic walked in with Spiederman. "What do you guys want?"

"Just wanted to see if you had come back," Nic replied, falling into the recliner. "You did."

"We saw Lauren climbing into a taxi," Spiederman murmured. "How'd that go?"

"Um, she's staying with Hallie," Tommy mumbled. "We're going to continue talking but we're at a standstill in our relationship."

Nic stopped rocking. "What happened?"

"She asked if I still loved Jude," her brother replied, "and I said I wasn't sure."

"Wow," Spiederman breathed. "At least you were honest."

"That's what she said," Tommy chuckled darkly. "And then she left."

Spiederman's phone rang then. "Uh, I'll take this in there." He stood and walked down to the guest bedroom. "Hey, dude."

"What are you doing?" Jude asked.

"Hanging out with Nic and Squinty," he told her softly. "Is that okay?"

She laughed. "It's fine, Spied. I'm not asking you to take sides."

"Good," he said. "What's up?"

"I was just gonna see if you wanted to hang out at Burt's," she explained. "But it's fine. You stay there."

He looked down at his watch. "No, I'll go. You want the boys?"

"Nah," she shrugged. "Is it cool if it's just you and me?"

"Sure," he smiled. "I'd like that." He hung up and walked back to the living room. "I'm gonna meet Jude at Burt's for a bit."

Tommy looked up at him. "You are?"

"Yeah," the guitarist confirmed, looking down at Nic. "Is that cool?"

"Sure," she grinned. "Go ahead. I'm gonna hang out here."

He leaned down to kiss her forehead. "I'll come back to your place tonight, yeah?"

"Of course," she nodded.

Burt's was a dive bar in the heart of the city that most of Toronto's bar hoppers overlooked because it was old and run down. Growing up, Jude had always known it was a place she'd love one day and she did. They served peanuts in baskets at the bar, the bartender was an old man who had met more rock stars than he could count, and there was no dancing.

"I come here with Tommy sometimes," Spiederman reported when he joined her at the bar. "Funny how you two think so alike."

She groaned. "I didn't know this was a place he frequented."

"Often," he nodded. "He likes the non-club-like atmosphere."

"Me, too," she grumbled.

"Ahh, destiny," he joked, nodding at Pete, the bartender. "Hey, Pete. Uhh, I'll have a Stella."

As Pete went to grab Spiederman a beer, Jude closed her eyes and pressed her forehead against her own Stella bottle. "I have tension headaches and I'm not even the one getting married."

"Honestly, I think this whole ordeal is much more stressful for you than it is for Sadie or Kwest," Spiederman replied. "They know what they want and they're doing it; you and Tommy are confused as hell." He took a sip of his beer before speaking again. "She left the penthouse."

"Lauren left him?" Jude gasped, sitting up to look at her former guitarist.

He shook his head. "No, she's just staying with a friend until everything settles. Either he wants to be with her or he wants to be with you; she doesn't want to sit around and look like a helpless puppy while he decides."

"How did I fall back into this?" she wondered. "Back into the old Jude and Tommy cat-and-mouse game? I've been at this since I was fifteen-years-old and I'm almost twenty-two."

"I think that distance from both you and Lauren will be good for him," Spiederman admitted. "Not seeing either of you will make it easier for him to decide which is harder for him to live without."

"Well, it'll obviously be her," Jude scoffed. "He's gone three years without me."

"Not true," he corrected. "Up until he met her nine months ago, he was miserable. He woke up, came to work, and went home. We often competed on whose life sucked more, his or mine being married to Karma, and there were times his was so bad, he won."

Jude laughed. "I still find it hard to believe you were ever married to that tramp. I heard from a friend in LA this afternoon and he said Karma's found work with the Pussycat Dolls troupe while she tries to be signed. And I mean the burlesque group, not the pseudo-girl band."

"Wow," he breathed. "Her life sure went down the drain."

"Do you think that if she hadn't cheated on you that you two would still be married?" Jude asked.

"I don't know," he shrugged. "It depends on Nic."

"Nic?" Jude repeated. "Why?"

"Well, and I know this sounds cheesy, but I really think Nic is the one," he explained. "If I were still married to Karma and met Nic and we had the same connection we have now, I think I'd have still gotten divorced."

"Well, check you out," Jude teased. "Mr. Rock Star is finally in love for real, huh?"

"I am," he agreed. "And I'm not ashamed of it. It helps that Nic's as cool as she is, but I do really love her."

Jude sighed. "And I really love her fucking brother."

"What are you gonna do?" Spiederman asked.

"What I said earlier," she admitted. "I'm gonna be at Sadie's beck and call, only dealing with Tom when necessary for the wedding. I can't keep putting myself in situations where I'm vulnerable to him."

Spiederman nodded. "I think that's good, dude. It's time you stood up for yourself when it comes to Squinty."

"I know," she smirked. "It's just easier said than done."

"Let's do something crazy," Spiederman suggested suddenly. "Like, something we'd do if we were really drunk."

"But we're not," she pointed out. "This is both of our first drinks."

He rolled his eyes. "I know, but people know we're at a bar. Let's do something totally nuts and then blame it on being drunk, even though we're not."

Jude considered and an idea popped into her head. "Let's get tattoos! I haven't gotten one since I was a kid."

Fifteen minutes later, they were seated in Daughters, a popular tattoo parlor downtown.

"What can I do for the great Jude Harrison?" Vic, the guy behind the desk, asked her. "Something musical?"

"I don't know," she told him. "Let me think about it and draw some stuff up. Spied can go first."

"I know what I want," Spiederman declared. "I want the chorus to Bob Dylan's 'Just Like a Woman' in cool script on my right shoulder blade. That's my favorite song of all time."

"Oh, geez," Jude breathed. "That's gonna be pretty big. Bigger than the stupid guitar on your ass."

"Hey!" he cried. "We don't discuss that mistake. I was seventeen and thought it was cool."

She shook her head. "Very uncool, especially for a famous guitarist. Too self-promotional. You're not Kanye West."

Spiederman turned back to Vic. "I want _'she takes just like a woman, she makes love just like a woman, she aches just like a woman, but she breaks like a little girl._'"

"I'm gonna send you to Chip," Vic explained. "He's the best we got at script."

As Spiederman walked off to meet with his artist, Jude looked around the room. Since it was after nine on a Saturday night, it was pretty dull; most people her age were out partying and behaving like twenty-one-year-olds should. Instead, she was getting a stupid tattoo she was going to pass off for having done it while she was drunk. With that thought in mind, she looked to Vic. "Does Chip have time to do two sets of script?"

"That looks awesome," Jude complimented an hour later when Chip finished tattooing Spiederman's back. "Excellent penmanship there, Chip."

"Thanks," the Australian grinned lopsidedly. "I spent years perfecting it."

Spiederman turned to look at his third tattoo in the mirror- his second was the Celtic Tree of Life on his chest that he'd randomly gotten at nineteen. "It's fucking sweet. I won't even say I did this drunk."

"No, you have to!" Jude exclaimed. "If you got it sober, you would've been able to talk me out of what I'm about to do. I would _never_ do this sober."

Spiederman raised an eyebrow. "What are you getting, dude?"

Jude held up the tracing paper with the writing on it. "This."

"Oh," Spiederman muttered. "Wow."

"Okay, where are we doing this?" Chip asked.

"Left shoulder," she answered, removing her sweater. "Can I just pull off the straps of my tank top and bra without having to remove them?"

Chip eyed his workspace. "Yeah, that'll be fine."

While he cleaned her back and arranged his tools, Jude took deep breaths to prepare herself for what she was about to do. This was something she was going to have to live with for the rest of her life and while it was crazy and ludicrous and she had a million reasons not to do it, she had one bigger reason in favor of it.

"You called me out on self-promotion and you're going all proclamationy on me," Spiederman teased as he took her hand for moral support.

After forty-five minutes of pain, Chip finished up and let Jude look in the mirror before bandaging her up.

"_'He's frozen, he shields my eyes from the sun, the great believer doesn't believe anyone, his ice age is melting away,'_" he read. "What's that?"

Jude grinned at Spiederman. "A song that means a lot to me."

"Okay," Chip shrugged, taping a bandage over the lyrics. "Well, leave your bandages on until Monday. You both have tattoos, so you know how to take care of them. If anything goes bad, come back and see me. Vic will give you cleaning instructions when you pay up front."

"I can't believe we just did that," Spiederman laughed once they were outside in the cold Toronto night. "I always do the most ridiculous stuff when I'm with you."

"It's fun," she assured him. "In fifty years, you'll look back on those lyrics and remember you did this on the night you told everyone you were drunk when you were really sober with your BFF, Jude."

He watched his breath out in front of him. "I should probably get over to Nic's. She's gonna know I'm not drunk so I have to tell her."

"Then go ahead and tell her about mine," Jude said. "She'll probably think it's funny."

"Is it?" he wondered. "I mean, you obviously had reason for doing it."

"Of course I did," she stated. "But no one besides you two will ever have to know. I think I'll crash at my dad and Yvette's. I can bang around and end up on the couch. If either checks on me, I can pretend. They won't know the difference."

Spiederman hugged her. "See you at the brunch tomorrow."

"Yeah," she agreed. "Remember to come in looking like you're suffering from a major hangover."

As Jude rode in a taxi to her parents' house, she pressed her head against the window and watched the city pass in front of her. There were millions of people in Toronto and she only wanted one; and he wasn't even sure he wanted her back.

"Hello?" Stuart warily called when Jude 'stumbled' into the house. "Who's there?"

"It's me!" Jude squealed, laughing uncontrollably, as she often did after drinking too much. "Hi, Daddy."

"Jude?" Stuart appeared at the foot of the steps and flipped on the light. "What are you doing here?"

"I need to crash," she told him quickly, slurring her words artfully. "The brunch is tomorrow and Sadie will be way unhappy with me, Daddy."

He stepped forward to help her into the living room. "Yes, she will. Just stay here tonight. I'll get Yvette to find you something to sleep in." He settled her on the couch and disappeared back up to his bedroom.

Yvette came down a few minutes later, carrying a matching set of flannel pajamas. "Come on, Jude. Let's get you into more comfortable clothes."

"Ohhhkay," Jude mumbled, silently praising herself for such convincing work. She cooperated with her stepmother carefully, making sure to act as a drunk person would while having someone change them.

"There," Yvette smiled once Jude was dressed. "Now, lie down and I'll get you a trashcan and a glass of water in case you need them."

Jude closed her eyes for Yvette's sake while she retrieved the garbage and water.

"Good night, Jude," Yvette whispered.

"Nighty-night," Jude called back in a sing-song voice. "Sleep tight. Don't let the beddy bugs bite."

Just as she was truly falling asleep, her phone vibrated on the coffee table.

_Interesting choice of tat,_ Nic wrote.

Jude grinned. _It's something I'd do drunk._

_Will anyone ever know it was a sober moment? _Nic wanted to know.

_Hell, no_, Jude answered. _Especially not your brother or Lauren._

A moment passed before Nic responded. _He's gonna pick you, Jude. Trust me._

Jude chose not to write back. Instead, she tossed her phone aside and closed her eyes once more. "I really hope you're right."


	11. Chapter 11

**Typically, I'm not a personal horn-tooter but I must in this case. I updated this story less than a week ago and I'm already updating again. I've been watching seasons one and two of _Instant Star_, remembering just how much I LOVE Jude and Tommy's relationship and how much I LOVE Spiederman in general. It's getting easier for me to write this again. That makes me happy. Reviewers, you also make me happy. I'm glad you still like this story so much. I think you'll really enjoy the very end of this chapter and what is to come in the next.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue.  
**

"Hey," Jude greeted Spiederman outside of 620 Sunday morning before the lunch at Pazzo. "Feeling hungover?"

Spiederman laughed. "No, but I should probably put my game face on."

"I'm gonna show mine off," Jude told him. "I've been to Pazzo for stuff before and it's always super hot, so when we get there, I'll remove my cardigan and everyone will see my bandage, wondering what's under it."

"Do you think that's a good idea?" he wondered, hailing them a cab. "Also, I came prepared. I put Flintstones vitamins in a Tylenol bottle to help with the 'headaches' we should be suffering."

"Genius," she grinned. "I have bottled waters in my bag."

He helped her into the taxi. "Teamwork."

When they arrived at Pazzo a little after eleven, everyone was already seated. They put on their hangover faces and sat down.

"You look awful," Leila told Jude. "Hangover?"

"Of the worst kind," Jude muttered, taking off her white wool coat. "It was a long night."

"How you feeling, Vin?" Tommy asked, knowing they'd been together.

"Death is welcomed," Spiederman answered tiredly.

Brunch started pleasantly with Jude avoiding Tommy as much as she could. Finally, as their food was served, Jude took a deep breath and took off her sweater, revealing a light blue spaghetti-strapped dress.

"Jude!" Sadie cried. "Did you get a tattoo?"

Jude flinches at her sister's outburst. "Stop yelling. I don't seem to remember it but yet, I got a tattoo last night." She eyed Spiederman. "Do you have one?"

"Apparently," he nodded. "I crawled into Nic's bed last night and she was helping me out of my t-shirt and she accidentally scrapped her nails over it. Lyrics to 'Just Like a Woman' by Bob Dylan. It hurts like hell but looks damn good."

"Let's see yours," Leila prompted Jude.

Sadie carefully untapped the bandage. "Oh, my God."

Kwest leaned around his fiancée to see. "Wow. Jude, do you know what it is?"

"Unfortunately," Jude nodded.

"'He's frozen, he shields my eyes from the sun, the great believer doesn't believe anyone, his ice age is melting away,'" Leila read. "What's that?"

"My song," Tommy spoke up. "They're lyrics to my song."

Kwest's brother, Sean, let out a low whistle. "Well, doesn't that bring back memories? I remember sitting in our basement, listening to you sing that song."

"Lauren who?" Leila whispered to Morgan.

"If you'll excuse me," Tommy murmured, standing up from the table.

Once he was gone, Jude dropped her head in her hands. "I didn't do this on purpose."

Spiederman bit his cheek to keep from laughing. "I wouldn't stopped her if I'd have known what was going on."

"It's not your fault," Jude assured him. "I should know better than to drink like that."

"You should eat," Sadie advised. "It'll help you feel better. You, too, Spied."

Jude was quiet through the rest of lunch, especially when Tommy returned. They made eye contact a few times but said nothing.

"Poker time!" Leila cried when lunch ended. "I was in rehab with a guy from the pro circuit."

"I'm not too worried," Kwest laughed. "You're a girl."

Jude scoffed. "How sexist of you, Taylor."

"Just saying," Kwest grinned. "Everyone got rides to Morgan's?"

"We came in a cab," Spiederman reported.

"You can ride with me," Tommy offered. "I came alone."

Jude followed everyone outside and sighed. "Do I have to go?"

"Yes," Sadie confirmed.

The younger Harrison sister stared at Tommy's back. "I'm not sure it's a good idea."

"You know, I think I'll ride with Sean," Spiederman decided. "I think the old Range Rover will be a little crowded."

Jude cursed under her breath as she climbed into the passenger seat. "I could've gone with Sean, too."

"No, I'm glad you came with me," Tommy admitted. "Because now I can ask you what the hell was going through your brain when you permanently tattooed my lyrics to your back."

"I don't know!" she cried. "I wasn't thinking, obviously. Can you honestly say you think this is something I'd do sober? You know what I'm like drunk."

He closed his eyes. "This doesn't make things easier for me."

"I'm not here to make things easy for you!" she yelled at him. "I don't want to sit around and wait for you to make some stupid decision, and yet, I am. All I want to hear is that you want to be with me, not the orthodontist. So just say it, Tom. Tell me that's what you want."

"I don't know," he shook his head slowly. "I'm sorry, Jude, but I can't tell you that if I don't know that I mean it."

"Well, when do you think you'll know?" she demanded. "I don't want to be forty-five and still waiting for you. I have a life in Europe to go back to."

"Do you plan on going back if I pick you?" he asked.

Hearing him say it like that, 'if I pick you,' hit her hard. She scoffed. "God, I'm an idiot."

"What are you babbling about?" he interrupted.

"It's like sixth grade volleyball all over again," she muttered. "I was always anxiously waiting to be picked and I was always chosen last. And I get the feeling that's going to be the case this time."

Tommy looked at her. "You can't rush me here, Jude. Would you want me to think it's Lauren, you go on to do other things, and in thirty years, I realize I made a mistake? Or vice-versa?"

"I want to not be so revolved around you," she admitted. "That's what I want. I want to wake up in the mornings and not have my first thought go straight to you. I want to do great things in my life and I want to do them with you. But I just can't wait forever."

"I'm not asking you to," he told her. "I just need time."

"Do you know the Kings of Leon?" she asked him.

He nodded. "Sure, popular rock band out of Nashville."

"They have a song called 'I Want You' and it says, 'I want you, just zactly like I used to, but baby, this is only bringing me down.' That's how I feel, Tommy. I want you just like I always have but this is unhealthy." Tears filled her eyes.

"Don't cry," he whispered.

"I can't help it," she muttered. "That's what you do to me, you make me cry."

They rode the rest of the way in silence and Jude immediately locked herself in Morgan's daughter's nursery. It was done in various shades of purple and was very serene. After the stressful car ride, Jude was all for the peacefulness.

"I take it you're not playing?" Spiederman asked, leaning against the doorframe.

"Not a chance," she replied, sitting down in the rocking chair. "Do you ever want kids, Spied?"

"Sure," he shrugged. "I guess there'll come a time when I need a break and want to settle down. Why?"

"I always wanted kids young," she murmured quietly, picking up a stuffed duck from the floor. "My parents weren't old when they had Sadie and me but they weren't young and able to chase us around the playground. I want that."

He walked into the room and shut the door behind him. "Does this have anything to do with why you and Squinty walked in looking like an old divorced couple?"

"You know the Kings of Leon?" she asked.

Spiederman grinned. "'I want you, just zactly like I used to, but baby, this is only bringing me down.' I know the exact song you're thinking, dude."

Jude groaned in exasperation. "Why can't he see it? Why doesn't he just know it's me? I mean, since I got back, all I've thought about is every time he and I ever spent together, every single moment we ever shared. My sixteenth birthday, my seventeenth birthday, the couple of days before my eighteenth. I remember buying the rights to 'Frozen' from Darius and him teaching me to drive and every second we were together in Asia." She laughed lightly. "There was a night in South Korea, and we were at this local fountain, and a group of giggly screaming girls just came running at him and he fell in. Of course, in true Tommy fashion, when I went to help him out, he pulled me in. It sounds ridiculous but it was totally romantic. I'm not sure I was ever more in love with him than I was that night."

"Oh, dude," he breathed. "What does he say when you tell him this?"

"Just that he's confused and doesn't know what, or who, he wants and I need to be patient," she shrugged. "I've been patient for three miserable years, Vin. My patience is wearing a little thin if you can imagine."

"I can," he nodded. "As much as I hate to say this, because I don't think he deserves to have you waiting around for him, but what will you do in the mean time? It's obvious you can't stand not being with him."

"I give him until Sunday morning," she explained. "If he decides he wants to marry Lauren and get stuck in the suburbs, I'll go back to Europe and _stay_ in Europe. If you all want to see me, you'll have to come there. The next time I leave Toronto alone, it'll be for the last time."

"We don't want that," he told her. "Toronto without Jude Harrison is like…,"

"Like what you're probably going to have to get used to," she whispered. "I can't bear the thought of being here and seeing him with her, Spied. Just the thought of it makes me sick."

He nodded. "I get it. I've only been with her since Friday and I could never imagine her with someone else."

"Maybe only officially since Friday," she smirked, "but you've been in love with her since October, according to my very reliable sources, K and W."

"Gee, I wonder who they are," he grinned. "They're stupid."

"Spiederman!" Sadie yelled up the stairs. "Are you at least coming down?"

"I should go," he said. "You sure you're okay up here?"

Jude nodded. "Go ahead. I'm just going to hang out in here."

"I'm dead bored," Nic groaned as she sat around 620 with Kyle and Wally on Sunday afternoon. "What do you guys do around here when Spied's not here?"

"Sleep, eat, read," Wally shrugged. "He's kind of the life of the party."

"Clearly," she murmured. "Well, let's go do something, huh? We're young and famous and pretty."

Kyle smelled under his armpits. "Would you like us to be clean, as well?"

Her eyes lit up. "Ky, you wanna dye your hair?"

"Uhh, no," he answered. "Why don't you?"

She stood up from the couch and looked at her reflection in the mirror hanging across the south wall. She'd had her caramel-colored hair since it had darkened from blonde when she was a kid. It was hard to imagine anything different but everyone needed change sometimes. "Okay."

"You're going to dye your hair?" Wally asked. "That's fun for you?"

"Sure," she smiled. "Wanna come?"

Kyle made a face. "To a salon?"

"To a salon where mostly young girls work," she clarified. "My Toronto stylist is gorgeous and twenty-four. You'll love her."

"I'm in," he agreed.

"I think I'll call Lee," Wally decided. "Catch you fools later." He disappeared down the steps and out the apartment door.

Nic put on her leather Dior ankle booties and led Kyle outside to her car. She dialed Tia, her stylist, as she pulled out of the parking garage.

"Hey," Tia answered in her light British accent. "What's up?"

"You busy?" Nic asked her.

"Nope," Tia replied. "Just sitting around the salon, watching everyone else work."

Nic grinned. "Good. I'm coming. I wanna go dark."

Tia gasped. "You haven't let me dye your hair before."

"Change is good," Nic reasoned. "Dark is very in right now. What kind of fashion editor would I be if I didn't stay with the times?"

"That's true," Tia laughed. "Well, come on in."

Nic hung up and set her iPhone in a cup holder. "You know, I overheard Leila talking about you the other day."

"Yeah, Sadie's mentioned there might be a slight crush there," Kyle nodded. "What do you think about her?"

"I don't know her well," Nic shrugged, "but she seems okay. She was in rehab, so she has that edge you like. Sadie said she's doing really well. She's super cute."

He leaned his head against the passenger side window. "I don't know. I'm not looking for a relationship."

"I didn't say you should be," she replied. "It wouldn't kill you to ask her out though."

As they drove downtown past Sewer, Nic caught a glimpse of someone she never thought she'd see in Toronto again. "Oh, my God."

"Was that…Karma?" he muttered, looking over his shoulder as they kept driving. "Go back!"

"Hell, no!" she cried. "I don't want to see that whore. You gotta text Vin."

Kyle pulled out his enV. _Bad news, _he wrote. _Your ex-wife is back._

A moment passed before Spiederman responded. _What?_

_Nic and I just drove by Sewer and she was there,_ Kyle told him. _She didn't see us but it was definitely her._

_Nic saw her?_ Spiederman wrote. _Does she seemed bothered?_

Kyle eyed Nic out of the corner of his eyes. She was staring straight ahead, her eyes focused on the road. _Yes._

_Damn it, _Spiederman responded quickly. _I can't leave yet but I'll meet with you guys after this to deal with it._

Kyle shoved his phone back into his pocket and looked at Nic. "He can't leave the poker party now but he'll meet up with us after."

She nodded. "Okay."

"Don't be worried about her," Kyle told her. "She's just a parasite upon us all, hoping to latch back on because her career tanked when their marriage when up in flames."

"I'm fine," Nic lied. "I know she's out of the picture." She smirked. "Besides, I can easily take on Karma."

Kyle had never been in a real salon before, so the smell immediately hit him. He sat in an empty chair next to Tia's station and watched as Nic discussed color with her stylist.

"I'm thinking a rich, chocolate," Nic decided. "And bangs."

"Bangs?" Tia repeated. "Really? You do have the forehead for them."

"Do it," Nic confirmed. "But I don't want to see anything until you're completely done."

Tia looked to Kyle as she spun Nic's chair around, away from the mirror. "You're in that band, right?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "SME."

"Right," she said. "I like your music. Some of the girls around here listen to it quite a bit."

He smiled. "Thanks."

Hanging out with Nic in the salon made Kyle remember why he liked her so much. She made him laugh, didn't hang on his every word like a lot of girls, and kept him entertained with her semi-abrasive personality.

"Ready?" Tia asked when she finished.

Nic took a deep breath. "Yes." Tia spun the chair around and Nic opened her eyes. "Oh, wow."

Her long, wavy hair was now a dark brown and she had wispy bangs laying across her forehead perfectly.

"Tia, I love it," she breathed. "It's amazing."

When they got back to 620, Spiederman was sitting on the couch, staring off into space.

"I like your hair," he whispered, finally looking up at his girlfriend.

"Thanks," she accepted, sitting down with him. "You don't have to be so nervous, Vin. She's just an ex."

"I know," he sighed, "but she'll make things complicated. That's what she does."

Kyle shrugged at Nic. "There's nothing we can do when he's like this."

"She's bound to show up here," Spiederman ranted. "Then what?"

Nic stood up and went upstairs with Kyle. "Then you deal with it, Spied."

"You busy tonight?" Jude asked Jamie when she called him after Sadie and Kwest dropped her off at her dad and Yvette's to finally pick up her Mustang.

"Nope," he replied. "Zepp is having dinner with old friends so I could use a little Jude-Jamie time."

"Good," she breathed. "I could use your sage advice on everything going wrong with my life."

He laughed. "I'll meet you at Sadie's in an hour with Chinese and classic kung fu movies."

Across town, back at 620, Spiederman was anxiously waiting on Karma's entrance. Nic and Kyle stood at the balcony, watching him pace down below.

"You've met her, right?" Kyle asked.

"No," Nic shook her head. "I was just coming around when she left."

Kyle let out a low whistled. "Then I'm sure she'll be just thrilled to meet you. Karma is definitely something else."

There was a loud knock on the door. Spiederman took a deep breath and pulled it back to reveal his ex-wife. "Yes?"

"Oh, Spiedy!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around him energetically. "It's so good to see you!"

He pushed her away. "What are you doing here?"

"I miss you," she told him. "Don't you miss me?"

"No!" he cried. "You cheated on me. We're divorced. "I want nothing to do with you."

Karma frowned. "We were married for three years, Spiedy. Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

"It did," he confirmed, "until you proved it meant nothing to you."

"Can I at least come in?" she requested sadly.

He looked over his shoulder to Nic. She just shrugged indifferently.

"Fine," he grumbled, stepping aside to let her in. "What?"

"My life is falling apart," she whined. "I need you on my side to get my career back."

He scoffed. "Definitely not happening. You deserve everything you've got."

Karma looked around and saw Kyle and Nic staring down at her. "Who are you?" she demanded of Nic.

"My girlfriend," Spiederman answered confidently.

"Nic Quincy," Nic introduced herself.

"You're dating Tom's sister?" Karma asked. "Don't you work for _Vogue_?"

Nic nodded coolly. "I do. What is it you do again?"

"It's not really attractive to pick up my sloppy seconds," Karma told her.

"He dumped you," Nic reminded the former pop diva. "He didn't want you anymore."

Karma was now fuming. "This is a private conversation so why don't you go?"

"No problem," Nic agreed, putting on her houndstooth Chanel coat. "I'll see you guys later." She left without looking at Spiederman once.

Kyle backed away from the banister. "I'll be around if you need me."

Spiederman was still staring at the door. "Okay."

Jude was just settling onto the couch when Jamie showed up with two DVDs and food from their favorite Chinese restaurant.

"I come bearing gifts," he joked, setting everything onto the coffee table. "And I hope you're hungry."

"I am," Jude replied, grabbing a carton of fried rice. "It was hard to eat at lunch."

Jamie put the first film in and sat down next to her. "So, let's see it. Kwest told me about the tattoo."

She lifted her sweatshirt to reveal her bare shoulder beneath a white tank top. "Not my finest moment."

"Clearly," he murmured. "Does it hurt?"

"Very badly," she grimaced, covering herself again. "And suffice it to say, Tommy wasn't thrilled about it."

"I imagine," he nodded. "I assume you fought?"

She leaned her head on his shoulder. "We did. Do you know how much is sucks to be so in love with someone you want desperately to hate?"

"I recall feeling that way about a certain blonde in this room once upon a time," he teased. "But I got better. You don't seem to be, proving it's been Quincy for you all along."

"Unfortunately," she sighed. "I told Spied that it Tommy decides he wants to be with Lauren at the end of the week, I'm going back to Europe and I won't come back anymore. I can't watch them be together, Jamie."

"Trust me, I understand," he said quietly. "It'll still suck for the rest of us though."

"Then pray he picks me," she laughed softly.

The front door burst open then and Nic stormed inside. "She's fucking back."

"Lauren?" Jude asked, sitting up. "She went back to their penthouse?"

"No," Nic snapped. "Karma is back in Toronto and she's at 620 right now."

"Uh-oh," Jamie mumbled. "What does she want?"

"She said she wants him to forgive her so she can get her career back on track!" Nic yelled, pacing frantically. "He never wanted to get divorced. How am I going to be able to compete with that? This is why I don't do relationships; shit gets in the way and I back out."

"Don't do that," Jude advised. "He loves you, Nic. He told me last night."

"Speaking of last night," Nic interrupted quickly, "let's see the tat."

Jude repeated the motions she'd gone through in showing Jamie. "Spied told me last night he thinks you're the one; he never felt that with Karma."

Nic sat down and pulled a pack of rumpled cigarettes from her clutch. "Can I smoke in here?"

"Uhh, open a window," Jude answered, unsure of the true answer.

Nic did so and pulled out a cigarette, lighting it as she tried to calm down. "Fuck her for making me smoke. I've been doing so well about quitting."

Jamie chuckled. "I really don't think you've got anything to worry about. He's not going to forgive her and people would still hate her regardless. She broke Canada's golden boy's heart. No record label wants her with them, especially Sewer."

Tears filled Nic's eyes. "I love him but I can't deal with ex-wives."

"She won't stick around," Jude assured her. "And I'm sure he'll come looking for you tonight."

"What if he doesn't?" Nic wondered softly.

Jamie had never seen the great Nic Quincy this vulnerable in the time he'd known her. "He will. We've known the guy since kindergarten and his character hasn't changed that much." He nudged the bag of food. "You hungry?"

Nic reached in and pulled out a box of teriyaki chicken. "Thanks."

Halfway through the second movie, the doorbell rang. Since both girls had fallen asleep, Jamie eased Jude's head from his shoulder to a pillow and walked to the door. He opened it and found Spiederman waiting.

"Took you long enough," Jamie muttered, letting him inside. "I hear Karma's back?"

"Yep," Spiederman confirmed, looking down at Nic in the recliner. "She been asleep long?"

"Forty-five minutes," Jamie replied quietly. "What happened?"

"Karma showed up at 620 and started going on and on about how I have to forgive her and all this bullshit that's never going to happen," Spiederman explained. "She asked Nic to leave, so Nic did, and then Karma continued on her little rant for another twenty-five minutes. I finally pushed her out the door and started looking for Nic. I knew she was upset but I didn't know what to do. It's uncomfortable, being stuck between your girlfriend and your ex-wife. I never would've come here if I hadn't called Sadie who said you two were hanging out. I figured she'd look for Jude if she couldn't get to Tommy or Lee."

Jamie patted Spiederman on the back.

"Ouch!" Spiederman winced. "Tattoo, man."

"Right," Jamie remembered. "The Dylan lyrics."

Spiederman nodded. "Yeah. You want in on a secret?"

"You guys weren't drunk," Jamie said knowingly. "I figured. It's something she would've done sober." He glanced down at their best friend. "What do you think will happen?"

"I think someone is going to be unhappy regardless of what happens," Spiederman responded diplomatically. "Whether it's Jude or Lauren, someone is going home alone at the end of this." He grinned. "But I hope its Lauren. There's a better chance of Red sticking around if she's with Squinty."

Nic stirred and flipped over in the chair. Spiederman carefully leaned down and scooped her up into his arms.

"Spied?" she murmured.

"Shh," he whispered, kissing her forehead. "I'm gonna take you back to your hotel, okay?"

"Uh-huh," she breathed, laying her head against his chest. "See ya, Jammers."

"Bye," Jamie chuckled, holding the door open for them.

Jude woke up at nearly midnight to the sound of someone knocking softly on the door. Jamie was sleeping in the recliner and Nic was nowhere in sight, so she cautiously walked to the foyer. She gasped lightly when she looked through the curtain at who was waiting.

"I think it's time you and I talk," Lauren stated when Jude pulled back the door.

Jude nodded mutely and led Lauren inside.


	12. Chapter 12

**I'm pretty awful, I know. It's been almost three months since I've updated and that's lame. Unfortunately, I work like, 30 hours a week and for me, that's a lot. I'm trying to finish a lot of stories at once right now so stick with me. I'm not planning on many more chapters in this one. I don't know. But I will finish it. I'm hearing seasons 3 & 4 will be released on DVD in the next few months so if that happens and I watch them, it'll boost my momentum. Until then, sorry. I know this is slightly shorter than usual but it ends at a good place.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue.**

"So, this is weird," Jude stated as she and Lauren sat at the dining room table.

"Yes, well, I've talked to everyone I consider important about this except you," Lauren explained.

"Okay. Well, what do you want?" Jude sighed.

"I want my fiancée back," Lauren told her.

Jude smirked. "And people said you and I would have nothing in common." She sipped the cup of tea she'd poured herself. "What do you really know about him?"

"What do you know about the real world?" Lauren shot back. "You're practically a child."

"What the hell does the real world have to do with Tommy?" Jude demanded.

"He's grown up now," Lauren said. "He isn't living in the past the two of you shared."

"No?" Jude interrupted. "If that were the case, you'd be asleep in bed with him right now, wouldn't you?"

Lauren glared at the musician. "He's only humoring you, Jude."

"You say he's not living in the past anymore, right?" Jude asked her. "Tommy's always living in the past. He puts on a show for you because he says you're the 'right girl' for him. That doesn't make you the one he wants."

"If he wanted you, would he have left you in Japan three years ago?" Lauren wanted to know. "Probably not."

"Does your neck constantly hurt?" Jude wondered.

"Excuse me?" Lauren replied. "What does that mean?"

"Just that you're always looking down one everyone from your high horse," Jude shrugged. "It must hurt."

Lauren rolled her eyes. "This is exactly what I'm talking about. You're so immature. It's no wonder you're such good friends with the SME boys."

"Do you know it kills him that Nic hates you?" Jude murmured. "She's the only family he's got left and being with you could send her away for good. She likes me."

"I could care less about Nic," Lauren snapped. "She's arrogant and vile."

"No," Jude shook her head, "she's smart and intuitive and I think you know that. I think it does bother you that she doesn't like you because you're intimidated by her. In the end, you know how she feels will affect his decision and you can't stand that."

"Stop," Lauren demanded. "That's not true. I just don't like her."

Jude yawned, looking for another subject. "What's his favorite food?"

"Red licorice," Lauren answered smugly.

"Wrong," Jude declared. "Tourtière. It's a meat pie he only got on special occasions as a kid but he loved it. You talk about the real world like he cares so much about mortgage rates and insurance plans. He cares about helping people make great music. You don't know anything about him, Lauren, because you try to make him who you want him to be. He's not that guy."

Lauren wasn't sure how to respond. "What do you know? It's been three years."

"Three years, decades, millenniums," Jude said. "It doesn't matter how long it's been; I know him better than anyone and vice-versa."

Lauren stood up angrily. "You have no idea what you're talking about."

"In this particular instance, I'm not trying to offend you," Jude muttered. "It's just the truth. You don't know a real thing about him and I think you know it."

"This was a mistake," Lauren decided, putting on her coat. "Goodbye, Jude."

Jude walked her to the door and just as Lauren was climbing into her Lexus, she stepped outside. "It's going to be me, you know."

"I doubt it," Lauren responded coolly, "but may the best _woman_ win."

Tommy was just falling asleep when his phone rang.

"Yeah?" he answered.

"I hope you know what you're doing," Jamie's voice came through. "I just had a front row seat to the first Jude-Lauren showdown."

Tommy sat up in his bed. "What?"

"Jude and I were hanging out and we both fell asleep. I woke up a little bit ago to she and Lauren talking in Sadie and Kwest's dining room. It's bad, Tommy."

"What am I supposed to do about it, Andrews?" Tommy demanded.

"Uhh, make a solid decision," Jamie answered dryly. "You stringing them both along while you sort out this confusion you have but if you keep putting it off, neither is gonna stick around. You know Jude won't. She may love you but her patience is wearing real thin."

The producer groaned. "I can't just sit here and immediately know here, Jamie. It's not that easy."

"It should be," Jamie shrugged. "You can't love both of them here. It's not like they're very similar."

"I know," Tommy sighed.

Jamie was quiet. "You might love both but you just gotta ask yourself one question: which one are you _in_ love with?"

Tommy hung up and buried his face in his hands. His methods of deciding weren't fair but he didn't know what else to do. He couldn't stay with Lauren now if he figured out he wanted to be with Jude in the long run. And he couldn't spend so much time with Jude if it ended up being Lauren. He kept waiting for that moment when he'd just know who he was meant to be with but it hadn't come yet; he knew it would.

Jude woke up late Monday morning and smirked. She'd only been back in Toronto for barely eight days and her life was already as complicated as it had been when she'd left years before.

"Are you staying here today?" Sadie asked as she let herself into Jude's room. "I'm meeting with the florist once more and have my last dress fitting."

"I might go down to the dock and write for a while," Jude decided. "I'm considering taking Jamie and Zepp up on an offer."

Sadie brightened. "You're going to stay in Toronto?"

"No," Jude shook her head, "but he's got connections in London and I think that's been my favorite place to stay so I could settle there."

"London?" Sadie repeated. "But there's so much rain and the guys smell."

Jude rolled her eyes. "And you've been there how many times?"

"I've seen movies," Sadie shot back. "Jude, come on. You want to stay here; I know you do."

"I can't," Jude shrugged. "This is not my life anymore, Sade."

"Your life is wherever you want it to be," Sadie muttered as she walked out of the bedroom.

Jude made a face at the door and sat up. Sadie had no idea what she was talking about.

Spiederman was working on a bass line for one of the band's latest songs when the door to Sewer opened and Karma stormed in.

"Can I help you?" Leila asked from her reception desk.

"I'm looking for Jamie," Karma demanded.

"He's on a conference call," Leila told her serenely. "You're welcome to leave your name and I'll give him the message that you dropped by."

Karma glared at her. "Don't act like you don't know who I am."

"Let me assure you," Leila shot back, standing up to face the diva, "I could care less who you are. But if I did, I'd tell you that no one wants you here."

Spiederman sighed. "Karma, go away."

"I want a recording contract and I refuse to leave until I have one," she snapped, walking over to talk to him. "Regardless of how everyone feels about me here, I'm talented."

"Says who?" a cool female voice said from behind her. "Your first album sold what, seventy thousand copies? That's not great. You're a financial risk."

Karma spun to find herself face-to-face with Nic. "Oh, it's you. Why are you even here?"

"I have more of a right to be here than you do," Nic replied. "My brother is their head producer, my boyfriend is part of their top act, and Jamie just generally likes me. I doubt I can say the same for you."

"I'm getting my recording contract back," Karma stated matter-of-factly. "Then I'll be around all the time and you'll need to watch your back here. I was married to him once and can easily get him back."

"Yeah, hi, still standing here," Spiederman spoke up. "Karma, you're out of your goddamn mind. We're divorced because you cheated on me, in case you forgot. And to be honest, if that hadn't happened, we'd still probably be divorced because we're terrible for each other. Our relationship was destructive, at best. Neither of us were happy, which is probably why you cheated in the first place. And also, I think if I'd have met Nic and we were still together, you and I never would've worked." He sighed. "We cut all ties. Go somewhere else."

She stomped her foot. "This is my home. I'm from here. This is the best label in the country at this point." She frowned. "No one else wants me."

"Well, that sentiment is felt here, as well," Jamie announced, emerging from his office. "Karma, you're not a good match for Sewer. It would never work."

Karma closed her eyes. "What am I supposed to do?"

"Best possible scenario for you?" Jamie asked. "Pray someone's invented a working time machine. Most likely scenario? Start over somewhere new, somewhere you're not so easily recognized."

"And hated," Nic offered.

Jamie cracked a smile. "Yes, that, too."

"You're all immature," Karma declared, heading towards the door.

As soon as the door closed behind her, everyone burst out laughing.

Jude arrived at the dock and cringed when she saw the familiar blue Viper in the small parking lot.

"The dock stretches for a mile," she quietly told herself as she retrieved her guitar case from the backseat. "You may not even see him."

Naturally, Jude wasn't so lucky. As soon as she ascended the ramp, her eyes fell upon Tommy as he strummed his old acoustic guitar.

"Coaxing the music out?" she teased, causing him to nearly fall off the picnic table he was seated on. "That's how it works, right?"

"It used to," he replied, setting his guitar down. "What are you doing here?"

She shrugged. "I guess it's my place. You?"

"Same," he admitted. "It's got that whole calming effect, you know?"

"Yep," she agreed awkwardly.

Tommy was quiet for a minute. "Do you wanna talk about your late-night chat with Lauren or should we just pretend it didn't happen?"

"Oh, I don't think I can pretend it didn't happen," she breathed. "It's not an everyday occurrence to have your ex's fiancée show up at your sister's house to argue about who knows him better."

"That's what you talked about?" he asked. "Any decisions?"

She smirked. "You could be married to her for sixty years and I'll know you better, Tommy. She now knows that." She sighed and headed down the dock.

"Wait!" he called to her. "Do you believe that?"

"Sure," she confirmed. "Most ardently."

Tommy smiled. "Nice. _Pride and Prejudice_."

"Exactly my point," she grinned slightly, continuing on her way.

As she walked away, Tommy felt the confusion he'd been trying to suppress all day. Every time he thought he was closer to a decision, something happened to throw him off once more. Before too much contemplation could occur, his phone rang.

"Hello?" he answered without checking the caller ID.

"I'm going to Rome on Wednesday," Lauren told him coolly. "I just wanted you to know that."

"Oh," he said. "Who with?"

"Hallie and Stephanie," she reported. "I'm not clearing with you because at this point, I don't have to do that. I'm just being courteous."

"Well, thanks," he replied. "How long will you be gone?"

He could hear rolling her eyes on her end. "Until the following Saturday."

"So I should tell Sadie and Kwest you'll be missing the wedding?" he assumed.

"Clearly," she snapped. "Look, I'm not doing this to get away from you per say, but just in general, Tom. This has been a very stressful week for me."

"I get it," he assured her. "But I have to ask- why'd you go to Jude last night?"

Lauren groaned. "I knew your little girlfriend would blab."

"She didn't," he interrupted. "Jamie overheard the conversation. That was out of line, Lauren."

"Naturally you'd defend her," she muttered. "I wanted to set things straight."

He clenched his jaw. "And were you able to do that?"

"I think so," she stated, though he noted her usual confidence was noticeably absent. "But knowing her, she didn't get the hint."

Tommy looked down the dock to where Jude was playing her guitar. "I think she did."

Spiederman finished up at Sewer for the day, say bye to Jamie and Zeppelin, and headed to Nic's hotel for the night. When he got to her room, he found her in an intense phone conversation with _Vogue_'s senior fashion editor, Ellen.

"This is ridiculous!" she cried. "So what if I'm not here specifically for work? An old family friend is getting married this week and it's been a two-week celebration. And I have worked, thank you very much. I met with a designer last week that has serious _Vogue _potential. When's the last time _you_ discovered a worthy designer?" She paused to let Ellen speak. "Oh, it was you who discovered Zac Posen? I'm pretty sure he got lucky when a dress he made for Naomi circulated. You, nor _Vogue_, had anything to do with it." Ellen spoke again. "I'm ungrateful? Please. If it weren't for me covering your ass while you spend your day on the phone with Pierre and tell Anna how lovely her skirts are, you'd have been fired years ago. I'm much more valuable to the magazine than you are. All you've got going for you is seniority and eventually, that'll play itself out when people realize you're worthless." Another silence on her end. "Fine, go to Anna. I'll do the same thing. And I'll prove to her why we don't need you anymore." She hung up and tossed her phone to the couch before Ellen could respond.

"Rough," Spiederman murmured as she sat down on the coffee table. "You okay?"

"Oh, I'm fine," she smiled. "Ellen just occasionally likes to assert her title and I subsequently remind her it means very little to me. While I'm technically just the junior fashion editor, that doesn't mean that as senior editor, she's my boss. Anna is my boss. Ellen's just been there since Diana Vreeland was Chief and that's basically all that's keeping her there."

"Does Anna know she doesn't do anything?" he wondered.

"Probably," Nic shrugged. "I just think she's more worried about losing her own job than dealing with firing the dinosaur to promote me. I'm simply biding my time until I quit or hire a hit man."

"If you quit," he began, reaching to pull her onto the loveseat with him, "what would you do, career-wise? Same thing at a different magazine?"

Nic thought about it. "I don't really know. I love fashion, so probably something in the field, but maybe not for a magazine. I'm not creative enough to design, but I've considered opening a boutique or financing an up-and-comer. There's a girl here who actually does these great straight jeans and military jackets that I love. We've discussed it but the distance is hard to deal with as far as that goes."

"Well, if you quit _Vogue_ and moved here, you could do that easily," he suggested, keeping his voice light unless she got angry. "And there are a lot of great places for boutiques."

She eyed him. "Subtle. The thing is, if I stay in fashion, New York is really the place to be. For now, I'm gonna stick with the magazine and bide my time. Anna will eventually promote me. Or she'll be edged out and they won't care if Ellen's been around since rotary telephones."

"Here's hoping," he muttered, his hope slightly deflating.

"Spied, I know you want me to move here, and I understand that, but you gotta just let things happen," she told him. "I love you but I'm not that girl who gives up my life for a guy, no matter how righteous he may or may not be."

"Righteous?" he laughed.

"I'm a closet fan of cheesy California stereotypes," she admitted. "I've also been known to say 'dunzo,' listen to Jack Johnson, and wear flip-flops in December. Sorry."

"What have I gotten myself into?" he murmured jokingly.

"Only the best relationship of your life," she replied smugly.

He sighed. "Can't be worse than my last."

"Uhh, could we not talk about her tonight?" Charley suggested. "She's ruined enough of the last couple of days."

"I would like nothing more," he agreed, scooting her aside to stand up. "In fact, to make up for your crummy day, I'm making you dinner."

Nic raised an eyebrow. "_You're_ going to cook? Remember back in November when I let you make spaghetti one night? The night ended with the fire department."

"Sue me for forgetting I left the oven on when I made the garlic bread," he grumbled, heading to her kitchen. "For that, you can't come in here until it's completely finished."

"Fine with me," she stated. "I'm gonna take a shower."

"Productive day?" Kwest asked Jude that night after dinner.

She shook her head. "Not really. I tried to write a little but it's hard to do that when the person you're trying desperately to escape from happens to be at the same place."

"Tom was at the dock?" he asked. "Huh."

"Don't," she warned. "I can see the wheels spinning in your head. That's not a sign that it'll be me. Is it totally pathetic that I'm just waiting for him to decide? I know you'll be honest without tiptoeing around my feelings."

Kwest turned off the TV. "I think that you're giving him the power again. Stop giving him all this time, Jude. He either knows it's you or its Lauren. He's taking advantage of this time to talk himself out of things. Deep down, he knows. Someone's just gotta make him admit it and Lauren's not going to that, especially since she's heading to Rome the day after tomorrow."

"She's leaving?" Jude gasped. "Why?"

"I guess she thinks distance from the situation will help," he reported. "I personally think it's a bad move for her but hey, I'm only a third-party observer with absolutely no connection to the matter."

"Yeah, right," she scoffed. "You're his best friend and my brother-in-law. Can't you talk to him? Tell him to pick me."

Kwest smiled. "You know I can't do that. It's not about me."

"I gotta go," she decided abruptly. "I'm just going to tell him. I'm going to tell him to pick me now or that's it. I'm done. I can't give him until he's ready because with Tommy, that'll be forever." She grabbed her coat and hurried out the front door.

Tommy was just sitting down to watch _Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid_ on HBO when there was a knock at his door. He set down his bowl of cereal and looked out the peephole to see Jude waiting. He pulled the door back. "Hi."

"Pick me," she demanded, storming in. "This is my last attempt to convince you to choose me and then I'm done. So I guess it's also an ultimatum."

"You're giving me an ultimatum?" he repeated. "Would you care to explain?"

"Pick me now or lose me forever," she told him. "And God, I know that sounds cheesy and stupid but that's it. I'm in love with you even though it's killing me. It's not healthy for me to feel this way but I can't help it. But I can't keep giving you the upper hand. I told Jamie today that when I go back to London, I'll work for Sewer from there. He's got a couple contacts at a small studio in the city and if it works out, he'll buy it. If I go back to London on Sunday, I'm not coming back."

"Jude, I don't know what you want me to tell you," he admitted. "I wish it were that easy."

"It is!" she exclaimed. "You know, Tommy. I know you do! You're just making excuses and I'm sick of that. For years, you're held the reins in this fucked up relationship and I need to know now. I _need_ to."

Tommy looked down at her and saw the sincerity in her eyes. Not just that she loved him and wanted him to be with her, but also that she was at her breaking point. The look on her face broke his heart. And yet, he still wasn't ready. Because the bottom line was that he knew he'd broken her heart before and he was afraid that rushing into things would only hurt her again in the end.

"I'm sorry," he apologized softly. "I'm just not at a place to tell you that right now."

She let out a short breath, trying to hide her shock, and opened the door. "Then I'm sorry, too, Tommy."

Jude walked out and let the door close quietly behind her.


	13. Chapter 13

**Ladies and gentlemen, I'm back. I know, I know, it's been a very long time since I updated and I apologize. I lost inspiration for a while and I'm trying to get it back. There's only going to be one more chapter, I think. I haven't decided if I'll do an epilogue but there's a good chance since this is my last Instant Star piece. Sad, I know. I'm just out of ideas. But, I'll lament next time. I hope you like it and I hope it's not terrible. I miss reading reviews so leave a lot. You're aces.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue.  
**

Friday morning hit Jude like a ton of bricks. Sadie woke her just hours after she'd fallen into a restless sleep and demanded she wake up, telling her there was so much to be done.

"Sadie, everything's taken care of," Jude yawned as she sat down to eat a bowl of cereal. "Tonight is the rehearsal and dinner but until then, you have absolutely nothing to worry about."

"Wrong!" Sadie corrected. "I have to stop by the jewelers to pick up my earrings and necklace. We need to have a hair run-through with Phillipe. You'll need to talk to the makeup artist about covering that hideous tattoo on your back because I refuse for it to be seen."

Jude frowned. "It's not hideous and I'm having it removed as soon as I return to London."

"Well, hurry and finish eating," Sadie demanded. "I'm due at Veronica Snow at ten and it's already going on nine-thirty."

"Ugh," Jude groaned. "Fine. Remind me again why I came home for this?"

"Uh, because you're my baby sister and had zero choice," Sadie answered as she disappeared through the door to the living room. "It's just two more days, Jude. I won't even put up a fight when you bail Sunday morning."

The younger Harrison smiled half-heartedly. "Thanks, Sade."

"Good morning, Harrison's," Veronica Snow greeted the girls when they made their way into her jewelry store. "I have your things right here." She unlocked a small safe near the register and pulled up three velvet boxes of various sizes. "They'll match your eyes quite well, Sadie."

"Yes," Sadie breathed, admiring her sapphire necklace. "I have the best husband."

"_Soon-to-be_ husband," Jude corrected. "But yeah, he's swell."

While Sadie talked with Veronica, Jude browsed the displays- diamonds and emeralds and pearls and rubies. While everything was quite lovely, the gems weren't exactly Jude's type. The few times she thought about marrying Tommy, she'd told herself she never wanted a diamond or anything typical.

And then, she saw it. It was tucked away near the back of display but it immediately stood out to her. The setting was simple white gold with a square cut onyx stone in the center. It was beautiful.

"Never sells," Veronica's assistant, Meg, reported as she followed Jude's gaze. "It's supposed to be for engagements but few people like black for proposals."

"Oh, I'd love it," Jude breathed. "It's unique and beautiful."

Meg nodded. "I quite like it. I mean, I'd prefer a diamond but it's lovely."

"It's perfect," Jude told her. "I'd kill to get that ring."

"Should someone mention that to Tom Quincy?" Meg asked.

Jude smirked. "Nope, he's already given away an engagement ring and I'm quite sure it was a diamond."

Meg frowned. "I always rooted for you, you know."

"Thanks," Jude smiled. "But he and I were young and irrational when we were together." She laughed. "Well, I was young anyways."

"Jude, are you ready?" Sadie called over. "Phillipe is expecting us in ten minutes and the girls are already there."

Phillipe Salon & Spa was the nicest salon in Toronto and it was nearly impossible to get appointments. Sadie, however, had been one of his first customers when she was in middle school, so he always had time for the older Harrison sister.

"Ahh, Sadie!" he cried in his affected French accent. "So lovely to see you. And Jude!"

"Hi," Jude grinned, waving to Sadie's friends.

"Sit, sit!" Phillipe cried, ushering them to stations. "We have much work to be done."

While one of Phillipe's assistants intricately braided her hair, Jude watched Sadie talk animatedly with Phillipe himself. She looked so happy. Jude envied her for that; she wanted it. She wanted to be completely happy with her life and no matter how great things were in England or how amazing her friends and family were, she couldn't achieve that.

"Miss Harrison, you like?"

Jude shook out of her reverie and looked at her reflection. It was the best she'd seen her hair in years. "It's beautiful, thank you."

"Jude, you feeling okay?" Sadie asked.

"I'm fine," Jude smiled. "You're the one getting married tomorrow. Shouldn't I being asking you that question?"

"I can't believe it's finally here," Sadie gushed. "In thirty-six hours, I'll be Mrs. Kwest Taylor."

Phillipe chuckled. "Is that his real name?"

"Well, it's his legal name," Sadie confirmed. "But he was born Kevin West Taylor. He said Kevin was too common for someone as cool as him so when he turned eighteen, he changed it."

"How humble of him," Leila joked from her chair. "You know, Sade, your life is going to change completely once you're married."

"I know," Sadie nodded. "It'll be weird at first but I'll get used to it."

"God, I still can't entirely wrap my head around this," Jude admitted. "It feels like just yesterday that I was sneaking into your bedroom to draw mustaches on your Boyz Attack posters."

Morgan smirked. "Who'd have thought that not too many years later, you'd want to be getting married to a Boyz Attacker yourself?"

"We're not discussing Tom," Jude declared. "Other than strict wedding-related topics for Sadie and Kwest, I am a No-Tommy-Zone."

"Good for you," Leila told her. "In the mean time, let's discuss how I can slut up my bridesmaid dress to get Kyle's attention tomorrow."

"You're not doing a damn thing until after photos," Sadie warned. "Besides, Kyle already likes you."

Leila frowned. "He's done nothing to show that."

"For as much of a man whore as Kyle can be, he's pretty shy," Jude explained. "And he'd be crazy not to like you, Leila."

The redhead smiled. "Thanks."

Later that day, Sadie headed to Bella Notte, the restaurant she and Kwest had chosen for the rehearsal dinner, to set up so Jude went to hang out at 620 for a while.

"We're not fighting about this, Vincent!" Nic was exclaiming as Jude let herself in. "You _cannot _wear Converse tonight. Do you want Sadie to have a heart attack the night before the wedding? You're in it for Christ sake."

Spiederman frowned. "They're new and they look fine with my pants and tie combination."

"Where's your jacket?" Nic demanded.

"I'm not wearing one," he replied.

"Oh, yes you are!" Nic roared. "Spiederman, have you never been to a nice dinner before? Jesus."

"Most couples split over cheating or growing apart or major life issues," Kyle murmured as he put on his suspenders. "Nic and Spied will break up because he won't wear a sports coat to a rehearsal dinner."

Jude laughed. "I'll bet fifty bucks that she doesn't talk him into the jacket."

"I'll take that bet," Kyle shook her hand. "She's very persuasive. Plus, she can withhold sex and well, he's a guy so that's a weakness for him."

"Just watch," Jude advised, turning back to the fight.

"Can't you just see what my outfit looks like before you force me into a jacket and dress shoes?" Spiederman requested, tightening his skinny tie. He tucked his white Oxford into his black pinstripe pants and held up his arms. "I think I look pretty nice."

Nic scrutinized his look and circled him. "I suppose it works for you." She glanced at Kyle. "You're wearing a jacket because two of you not wearing a jacket is tacky."

"Yes!" Jude cheered. "I told you."

Kyle shook his head in shame. "Nic, I'm so disappointed in you. How could you give up so easily?"

"Sorry," Nic apologized. "The boy looks good without a jacket. Plus, it's one less thing for me to rip off later once we're nice and drunk."

"Ugh, gross," Kyle gagged. "I'll be sure to be elsewhere tonight."

"With Leila, perhaps?" Jude mused. "I still don't understand why you haven't asked her out."

He shrugged. "I'm not sure I want to date someone I work with. What if we break up? It'll be weird."

"No one knows inter-office dating like I do," Jude stated, "and while Tommy and I were fucked up from the start, I doubt it would be so intense for you and Leila. At the core, you're both very laid-back people."

"I'll talk to her," he said. "I make no promises but she's cool."

"How were all the errands today?" Nic asked as she pulled a makeup bag from her Chanel tote bag. "I stopped by Veronica Snow to pick up a pair of earrings for tonight and one of her girls said you were looking at an onyx engagement ring. Getting ideas?"

Jude sighed. "Not quite. I was just looking around while Sadie gushed. It was very pretty though."

"Onyx?" Nic scoffed. "You really are emo, aren't you? Engagements mean one thing- a big, square-cut diamond. Plain band, white gold. Anything different and I won't accept."

Spiederman pretended to write that down. "I'll try to remember."

An hour later, Jude followed the band and Nic into St. Patrick's for the rehearsal. She tried to focus on her shoes to keep from looking around for Tommy.

"It's going to be okay," Nic whispered in her ear. "Lauren's not here and there's a good chance she won't be back anytime soon."

"What?" Jude mumbled.

"He and I had lunch this afternoon and apparently, Lauren called yesterday and when she didn't hear what she wanted to hear, she said she was staying in Rome for a bit longer," Nic told her as they sat down in a pew near the front. "He's all but chosen you, Jude."

Jude was quiet. "I'm not sure I want that anymore. I just want to be happy and I'm not happy, Nic."

"Are you happy in Europe?" Nic wondered. "Are you happy being isolated from everyone who really loves you? Even if you forget about my brother for a minute, what about Sadie and Spied and the boys and Kwest and Jamie? What about your dad and Yvette? Your people are here, Jude."

"Sadie has Kwest, Spied has you, Wally has Lee, Kyle's going to have Leila, Kwest has Sadie, Jamie has Zeppelin, and my dad and Yvette have each other," Jude pointed out. "Everyone has someone here; I don't. At the end of the day, who will I go home to?"

"Who are you going home to in London?" Nic asked her. "A box of macaroni and late-night Conan?"

"It's not easy for me, Nic," Jude snapped. "I'm twenty-two-years-old and I don't know what I'm doing with my life. Four years ago, it couldn't have been better. Where did it go so wrong?"

Nic stared at Jude. "Can I be honest?"

"Please," Jude confirmed.

"I don't think you believe in yourself enough," Nic stated firmly. "You're a fantastic musician and a great person but you have very little self-esteem. My therapist says I have enough for half the people I work for. Stop caring so much about what everyone else thinks and just worry about you. If Tommy doesn't want you, it's his loss. If he wants to throw his life away with Lauren, that's his problem. Don't let him bring you down."

Jude smirked. "No one has been that brutal with me in a long time."

Nic raised one shoulder. "You needed it. I'm not afraid to be blunt to stress a point."

"Thanks," Jude said.

"All right, everyone, we're going to start!" Sadie called out. "We need the wedding party back with me."

Jude stood up, stepped past Nic, and followed her sister down the aisle.

"Dude, we're going out after the dinner," Spiederman told her. "I figure you'll have to be with Sadie but once she's asleep, you should come to that swanky bar on Powell. Nic said it's really cool and there's no dancing. It's just sort of a lounge."

"Yeah, I'll try," she nodded. "I just think Sadie is going to be incredibly high maintenance."

"Understandable," he shrugged. "Kwest has already said he won't need babysitters and he's staying with Sean anyways."

"Okay, we're doing two short run-throughs as opposed to one long rehearsal," Sadie explained. "We're running a little behind so we have to go, go, go."

Tommy cleared his throat. "Deep breaths, Sadie."

"Right," she breathed. "Okay, Spiederman and Morgan, you're first."

Jude frowned as she stood next to Tommy.

"You look nice," he murmured.

"Thanks," she whispered. "But please don't."

"We're still not talking?" he asked.

"No," she shook her head. "I can't. I'm trying to distance myself from you now so leaving on Sunday won't be so hard."

He looked at her. "You're still planning to leave? I've had thought your sister and Andrews and Spiederman would've convinced you to stay by now."

"So you could continue to string me along?" she smirked. "Not quite. My friend Olivia is picking me up at Heathrow on Sunday night."

"I wish you weren't leaving," he admitted.

"I wish you'd make up your mind," she shot back.

"Jude, Tommy, go," Sadie urged from where she stood directly behind them with Stuart.

As they walked, Jude could feel everyone staring at them. She wondered how they looked to others. She tried to smile, since Sadie had hired a photographer for this, but it was hard. For years, she'd wanted to walk down an aisle with Tommy, but not in her sister's wedding.

"You looked like you wanted to bolt," Nic laughed as she and Jude walked back outside to Spiederman's Jeep after they were finished at the church.

"Then my appearance agreed with how I felt," Jude mumbled, climbing into the backseat with Kyle and Wally. "I feel bad because I'm trying very hard to put on a good show for Sadie and Kwest but it's hard."

"Just pretend he's someone else," Wally suggested. "Like Kurt Cobain or Tim Armstrong."

Jude laughed. "Thanks for the advice, Wally, but it's not that easy. I just keep seeing him with Lauren and I feel a little bit of my heart break every time I do. Why wasn't I good enough three years ago?"

"It wasn't that you weren't good enough," Nic assured her. "Tommy just didn't know what he wanted. He still doesn't, obviously."

"He's twenty-nine-years-old. It's time for him to grow up!" Jude cried.

Nic recoiled. "Please do not yell at me because my brother is an idiot. It's not my problem. I've been on your side since long before I even met you."

"You're right, I'm sorry," Jude apologized. "I'm just reaching my breaking point. I really wish I could skip this damn dinner."

"We could," Spiederman offered. "Sadie's head is spinning so fast that she probably wouldn't even notice."

"I wish," Jude scoffed. "No, let's just go and get it over with."

Bella Notte was a popular Toronto restaurant and while they often hosted private dinners, it really was a family place, which was what appealed to Sadie and Kwest.

"We came here when we first met," Nic said to Spiederman as they walked inside. "Do you remember?"

"Of course," he nodded. "I enticed you here under the notion of needing help with a photo shoot."

She smiled and took his hand. "Yeah, one you didn't have."

"I needed to know you," he stated simply. "For months, I was so deep in depression about Karma. And then you came along with your big mouth and staunch opinions and I kind of woke up from my funk."

"How do you think I felt?" she asked as they found their table. "You were a famous playboy who was getting divorced."

"Oh, come on," he laughed. "As if you were threatened by that."

Nic raised a shoulder. "I was. Even though I wasn't entirely interested in you then, I still felt odd going out with a married guy."

"I was separated," he corrected her.

"Hey, love birds, we're starting," Sadie told them.

Jude, wanting to get her short speech over with, stood up. "When I first met Kwest when I was fifteen, I never would've imagined him as the right guy for Sadie. Seven very long years later, I can't believe I ever thought otherwise. She can be rigid and uptight and he gets her to let loose and relax. He's a little unmotivated at times and she kicks his ass into gear. The relationship they have is one people are jealous of. It's a love that's, without a single doubt in my mind, going to last a lifetime." She raised her glass and made eye contact with Tommy before looking at the happy couple. "To Sadie and Kwest."

"To Sadie and Kwest," everyone murmured in response.

Tommy stood up next. "I still don't understand why I'm doing this instead of Sean but here goes. I have known Kwest since I was just a punk kid in a cheesy boy band. He used to help his uncle in the studio and I was drawn to his cool demeanor. When I first met Sadie, it was hard not to be attracted to her because she was smart and beautiful. Unfortunately, we were disastrous together. But she and Kwest fit like two puzzle pieces. I envy what they've got because they're so sure in their decision. I see nothing but smooth sailing ahead." He raised his glass. "To Sadie and Kwest."

As everyone followed suit in honoring her sister and almost brother-in-law, Jude slipped away from the party and stepped outside. It was freezing but she didn't care. Hearing Tommy talk about envying their love and their assuredness made her angrier than she'd expected. Going back to London for good was the only way she was going to ever move on.

"Hey."

She turned and saw Spiederman standing behind her with her coat. "Hi."

He placed the coat around her arms. "I saw you sneak out when Squinty finished. You okay?"

"No," she admitted softly as tears filled her eyes. "What am I doing, Vin? Even though I've barely spoken to him all week, or in the last three years for that matter, I still want him to want me. And I just keep going on and on about it which makes me more pathetic than I even sound."

"Stop," he chuckled, hugging her tightly. "Dude, fuck him. Get drunk tomorrow, have a kick ass time with us, and then Sunday, if you really must, go back to Europe. Don't get me wrong, I'd love for you stay, but I'm not going to try to guilt you into it. If being around Tommy is that hard, I would never want you to go through that. I only put up with Karma for a couple days last week and it was torture."

"For the last three years, I've always been under the impression that if I needed to, I could come home," she told him. "If I go back now, I've finally realized that I can't come home."

"Yeah," he breathed, "I get it. I just wish that weren't the case."

"Me, too, Spied," she whispered. "Me, too."


	14. Author's Note

Sorry if you thought I was posting a new chapter...

On that note, know that I _am _going to finish this story sometime. I've started the final chapter but it's coming along real, _real _slow. That sucks, I know, I feel your pain because I would really love to have this finished for those of you still actually reading. I re-read the _entire_ thing this past week and motivation is coming in spurts.

I just wanted to let everyone know that I haven't given up on this because I've had people asking about lately.

If you're still reading and waiting for the last chapter, also know that I adore you to pieces. If it weren't for my faithful readers and reviewers, I never would've made it this far.

With lots of love,

Charley


	15. Chapter 14

**I did it. I finished this story almost two years after starting it. I started with less than one page this morning, listened to Alexz and Tyler all day, and wrote the last nine. I don't know where the motivation came from but I just couldn't stop. I'm quite proud of how it ends. And for the first time in a very long time, no epilogue. I think it ends well and doesn't need one. I wanted to go out with a bang and I hope that I did. Let me know how you like it. I've had a lot of fun writing for you all over the last four years and I'll miss it but it's time to move on. _Instant Star _isn't coming back and my ideas are just sort of drained. To everyone who has reviewed over the years, you're absolutely wonderful people, all of you. Thanks a million because if it weren't for you, I certainly wouldn't have made it here._ Te amo todos.  
_**

**Disclaimer: For the last time, I don't own this stuff, so don't sue me.  
**

"Good morning," Jude greeted Sadie early Saturday when the eldest Harrison girl made her way to the kitchen. "Big day."

"The biggest," Sadie confirmed, pouring herself a cup of coffee. "And really, I'm so much less nervous today than I was yesterday. It's like I got all my nerves out at the rehearsal dinner." She sat down at the table. "You still leaving tomorrow?"

"I am," Jude nodded. "My flight leaves at ten-fifteen so Jamie agreed to take me to the airport at nine."

Sadie sighed. "I really wish you'd reconsider, Jude. Do you know how great it's been for me to have you home these last two weeks?"

"Aw, Sade, you know I love hanging out with you, too, but things have changed," Jude shrugged. "I'm sorry."

"I know," Sadie murmured. "I can't say I blame you. Tommy's being a total jerk and you don't deserve that." She paused.

"Go on," Jude urged. "I know you have more to say."

"It's just, don't you want to be with your friends and family?" Sadie asked. "I know, I know, you have friends in London and that's great but come on, Jude. Regardless of everything that's been going on with Tom, I know you're happy here. As your sister, I can sense it."

Jude was quiet. "Sadie, I can't be happy here unless I'm with Tommy and I've finally realized that I don't think it's going to happen."

"All right," Sadie conceded. "I'm not going to harass you about this anymore then. If you won't want to stay, I won't try to make you."

"Good," Jude declared. "Let's get you married."

Sadie squealed lightly. "Yay!"

At four-thirty, Jude stood in the bride's preparation room at St. Patrick's. Sadie was pacing in a corner while Leila and Morgan tried to calm her down.

"Why should my marriage work?" Sadie demanded as she walked back and forth. "My parents got divorced because my dad cheated on my mom. And what about kids? Our mother bailed on us. How am I supposed to be a good mom when my example was so horrible?"

"Sade, Mom wasn't bad," Jude spoke up. "She just got a little selfish once we were old enough to take care of ourselves. You're going to be a great mother."

"Am I?" Sadie asked nervously. "Do you think so?"

Jude walked over and hugged her sister tightly. "I know so."

"Okay," Sadie breathed. "What time is it?"

"About quarter to five," Leila answered. "Phillipe should be here at five and he's bringing two assistants. They'll work on us three while he fixes your hair. Everything is going to be perfect, Sade."

Sadie nodded. "You're right. I'm just overreacting."

"It happens," Morgan assured her. "Don't you remember when I got married? I was ready to jump off the roof because I was so freaked out."

"So to make up for it, she got really drunk at the reception," Leila added. "Jude, you certainly missed a good time."

"Sounds like it," Jude muttered. "I'm sorry I missed your wedding, Morgan."

Morgan grinned. "Its fine, Jude. You like being in Europe and I can't say I blame you; it's much more glamorous there."

Sadie glared at her friend. "Toronto is just fine, I think."

"Oh, of course!" Morgan agreed quickly. "I mean, Europe _is _glamorous but for how long? You need something to come home to."

Jude rolled her eyes. "Subtle, guys."

"Hey, we only have a few more hours," Leila joked. "Gotta get our last attempts in now."

Before any of the other girls could respond, there was a sharp knock at the door.

"That will be Phillipe," Sadie stated, opening the door. "Or not." She pulled it back to reveal Nic. "What's up?"

"Well, I was curious as to whether you had your something old, new, borrowed, and blue?" Nic wondered.

"My shoes are new, my bracelet is old, and my garter is blue," Sadie reported. "I guess I didn't think about the 'something borrowed' until now."

Nic reached into her Balenciaga bag. "My mother wore these earrings on her wedding day, as did my grandmother and my mother's grandmother." She opened the velvet box to reveal a pair of diamond-and-sapphire chandelier earrings. "I know you're not really wearing any blue to show but they match your eyes."

Sadie gasped. "Oh, my God, Nic. Not that I'm ungrateful, because they're beautiful, but why are you loaning these to me?"

"For as long as I can remember, Kwest has been like family to me," Nic explained. "He's been there every time I've ever needed him, especially after my parents died, so you deserve to wear the earrings."

"Wow," Sadie whispered, accepting the jewelry. "Nic, that's so nice of you."

"I have my moments," Nic smirked. "Um, have fun getting ready and I'll see you girls in a little while. If you need me, I'll be downstairs helping the boys look their best."

Sadie turned to her sister as soon as Nic was gone. "I hope Spiederman marries her."

"When I first came to town, all you could talk about was how sneaky and manipulative she could be," Jude scoffed.

"She is," Sadie confirmed. "But I still like her, just so long as she's not manipulating me."

Moments later, Phillipe and his crew arrived and started dictating the preparations. Jude sat quietly in her seat while Jocelyn, Phillipe's first assistant, worked on her hair.

"So short," Jocelyn muttered in her Eastern European accent.

"Sorry," Jude apologized.

"So, Jude, Sadie tells me you leave tomorrow morning?" Phillipe called over to her.

"Yeah," Jude told him. "Spied is taking me to the airport real early.

Leila laughed. "That just gives him incentive to stay up all night."

"Probably," Jude agreed. "But it's not like he's never done that before so I'm not too worried about it."

Phillipe yanked his brush through Sadie's hair. "Why are you not staying?"

"I'm going to stay permanently in London," Jude declared. "I like it there."

"Why?" he demanded.

Jude sighed. "I don't know. The music scene is great and I like the people and it's a great city."

"So much rain," Pippa, Phillipe's second assistant, spoke up in a quaint British accent. "And dirty. I hated living there. And most of the people involved in the music industry are horrible snobs. And before you ask how I know, I was married to Tim Gabbard."

"Tim Gabbard?" Jude repeated. "The producer?"

"Yes," Pippa said as she curled Morgan's hair. "He works for RCA and everyone there is a heinous prick."

Jude frowned. "That's the label Jamie is recommending me to."

"Good luck," Pippa muttered. "You'll be lucky to make it through one album before you quit or they get rid of your contract."

Jude was quiet while Phillipe and his girls finished their hair and makeup. By the time they left, it was six-thirty and Sadie only had thirty minutes to get dressed and ready. Jude hurried into her Cavalli dress and then helped her sister into her own.

"You look beautiful, Sade," Jude murmured once Sadie was ready. "Kwest is going to die."

"Hopefully not," Leila chuckled, smoothing out her Monique Lhuillier dress.

There was a quick knock at the door and Stuart stuck his head in. "It's time, girls."

The four of them followed him out to the foyer and met up with the groomsmen.

"Spied!" Jude cried. "You got a haircut!"

He beamed and ran his hand over his short hair. "You like it? Nic hasn't seen it."

"I thought she helped you guys get ready?" Sadie asked.

"He decided not to show up until about forty-five minutes ago and she'd already left to get ready herself," Tommy told them, trying not to look at Jude. "Sadie, you're gorgeous."

"Thank you," she smiled, taking a deep breath. "Okay, let's do this."

Inside the church, two of Kwest's cousins pulled back the doors to allow Spiederman and Morgan to start down the aisle. Nic, who was seated with Kyle, Wally, Lee, Jamie, and Zeppelin, raised an eyebrow when he passed her in reference to his hair.

_"Nice," _she mouthed.

"Man, he must really love you if he cut his hair," Kyle whispered in her ear.

"It suits him," Nic mused.

When it was time for Jude and Tommy to walk, she wrapped her arm through his and they slowly made their way down the aisle. She smiled for the photographer and winked at her friends before she and Tommy separated to their opposite sides. Everyone then stood to watch Sadie and Stuart make their entrance. Jude watched Kwest's face as her sister approached him. In all her life, she'd never seen two people more happy than Kwest and Sadie in that moment.

Forty minutes later, the preacher smiled broadly. "Ladies and gentlemen, it is with great pleasure that I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Kevin West Taylor!"

Everyone erupted with applause as Kwest kissed his bride and then raised her hand in victory. Jude wiped away the stray tears that had trickled down her cheeks and then followed the newlyweds down the aisle and back to the bride's dressing room to wait for everyone to leave so they could take pictures.

"Congratulations!" Jude squealed, hugging Sadie tightly. "You're married!"

"I know," Sadie gushed. "And he's perfect."

"For you, he certainly is," Jude agreed. "Kwest, way to go, man."

He hugged his sister-in-law. "Thanks, Jude. This wouldn't have been the same without you here."

"I wouldn't have missed it for the world," Jude assured them.

She backed away to let them revel in their moment privately and made her way to Spiederman and Leila.

"It seems as though your lady likes your hair," Jude stated. "What made you decide to chop it all off? You loved your hair."

He shrugged. "It felt right. And I guess I'm hoping that if I grow up just a little, she'll see how serious I am about her and she'll move here."

"Oh," Jude said. "Well, good for you, Vin. I hope she does."

Forty-five minutes later, their limo pulled up to the reception hall and they climbed out in order of how they'd walked down the aisle because that was how the DJ was going to present them to the crowd.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the Maid of Honor and Best Man, Jude Harrison and Tom Quincy!" the DJ exclaimed as Jude and Tommy walked inside together.

Jude grinned and made her way through the crowd and to the wedding party table while Sadie and Kwest walked in together as man and wife for the first time.

"Jude, you look fantastic," Nic complimented her as she joined her at the bar moments later. "That color is certainly flattering on you."

Jude took in Nic's black dress. It was long-sleeved, backless, sequined, and thigh-high. She was wearing her dark hair long and wavy and had completed her look with four-inch stilettos. "You're practically begging Spiederman to rip that off of you here in front of everyone, aren't you?"

"This is Marc Jacobs," Nic stated. "I would kill him. And I'm not much for public displays of affection." She smiled. "But I suppose I am hoping to get a certain reaction."

Jude looked over her friend's shoulder at her former guitarist's face, as he'd just spotted his girlfriend's ensemble for the first time. "I think you're about to get it."

"Um, can I borrow you for a minute?" Spiederman requested as he stood behind Nic. "It's uhh, important."

Jude just laughed as he led his girlfriend off to the coat check. She accepted her glass of white wine from the bartender and made her way back to the wedding party table.

"Wine?" Tommy chuckled when she sat down in her empty seat. "Playing it safe tonight, Harrison?"

"Maybe," she replied. "I don't want a hangover because I'm leaving so early in the morning."

"Right," he whispered. "I guess everyone's efforts were in vain then, huh?"

She looked down at her glass. "I see where they're all coming from but it's just not right for me."

"I don't want you to go either," he reminded her.

"But you're not begging me to stay," she shot back. "You know, all I needed to hear in order for me to stay was that you wanted to be with me, Tommy; that's really all. But I can't be here and not be with you because two weeks is agonizing enough."

Tommy said nothing more as he turned his attention to where Sadie and Kwest were greeting their guests.

An hour later, after Sadie and Kwest's first dance, the floor opened up and people started dancing.

"Come on, dude," Spiederman demanded of Jude as the DJ played 'There's Us' through the speakers. "You can't not dance to your jam."

"My jam?" she scoffed as he dragged her out to the dance floor. "Please, don't call it that."

He took her left hand and wrapped his other around her waist. "Remember when you bailed on your release party to see Cowboy in Barrie?"

"You mean the night that creeper got me drunk and took those pictures?" Jude asked. "Yeah, I don't think I'll be forgetting that night anytime soon."

Spiederman smiled. "Do you wanna stay at 620 tonight? That'll give Sadie and Kwest their house to themselves and that way we can go straight to the airport in the morning."

"Okay," she nodded. "These last two weeks have been nice, Spied, and I give a lot of that credit to you. I know you wanted to convince me to stay."

"I gave it my best," he admitted. "If you're set on going back, there's really nothing I can do about it."

Across the floor, Nic was dancing with her brother, who couldn't take his eyes off Jude.

"Even if you're not sure about Jude, you at least know it's not Lauren now, right?" Nic wondered.

"Yes," he replied. "That was made quite clear when she went to Rome with no desire to work things out."

"Then why isn't it Jude?" Nic demanded angrily. "Tommy, I'm probably going out on a limb here but Jude's the best female friend I've got and I really don't want you to push her away because you're afraid."

"Afraid?" he repeated. "I'm not afraid."

Nic looked up at him. "You are so. God, I don't know why I didn't see it before. You broke her heart once and you're afraid that you're so fucked up that you'll do it again." She sighed. "If anyone knows love is scary, it's me, but you can't keep her at arm's length because you're afraid. That's not fair, Tom, to you or to her."

"Nic, stop thinking you know everything," Tommy snapped. "You're still just a kid. This thing with Jude and I is much more complicated than you think."

She pulled away from him. "Fine, Tommy, throw your life away for all I care." She stared at him for another moment before storming off.

"I wonder what that was all about," Spiederman murmured as he watched Nic head to the bar.

"You should go check on her," Jude advised.

Nic was just ordering her vodka and Sprite when Spiederman approached. "I'm fine."

"Liar," he grinned, rubbing her back. "You shouldn't let him get to you like that."

"He's going to push her away to London and then what?" Nic asked. "I never see her again? I know she's your best friend but at least you've got Wally and Kyle and even Jamie. I don't have many close friends but I really like Jude."

Spiederman pulled her to him. "Hey, it'll be fine. If she goes, we'll visit."

"I do have private jet access," she muttered. "That's not enough for me." She leaned away and looked at him. "I quit my job this morning, Spied."

"What?" he cried. "Why?"

"Growing up, I was taught that taking risks would only lead to making mistakes," she stated, "but I don't think that you can really have what you want unless you take risks. So, with that said, I'm going to move here."

"You are?" he smiled. "Nic, I'm not asking you to give up your life for me."

"I'm not," she shook her head. "This is for me, too. If you haven't noticed, I'm a little selfish."

"I don't care," he whispered, inching towards her face. "I'll take selfish any day if it gets you here."

Nic kissed him softly. "The magazine wasn't thrilled but I'll figure something out here. I heard _Flare _is in the market for a new fashion editor."

"Where are you going to live?" he wondered.

"Not sure," she answered. "I spoke with my realtor and he said he can have my place in Manhattan on the market by Monday and it should sell pretty quickly. It overlooks Central Park and has views of the whole city. I told him I won't negotiate the price but he thinks someone will be willing to pay what I'm asking for the location alone. Until then, I'll probably stay at the hotel."

"No," Spiederman shook his head, "you can stay with us."

Nic made a face. "620 is fine and dandy for you three but not so much me. It's not the ideal living situation for the four of us anyways. This way, you can stay with me whenever you want but have a home base to fall back on."

He couldn't keep the grin off his face. "I think you just made me the happiest guy in the room, and that includes Kwest." He eyed her up and down. "Can we get outta here soon? That dress is dying to be on my floor."

"You're disgusting," she laughed, looking at the clock. "I suppose we could go now and have a little fun before the boys come home."

"Jude's staying, too," he added as they walked to get their coats. "You guys can have a slumber party before she leaves in the morning."

"Don't remind me," she grumbled, handing over her ticket for her Prada coat.

"I'm leaving."

Tommy looked up from his seat to see Jude standing over him, putting on her gray coat.

"Now?" he asked, standing to face her. "And you're not coming back?"

"I guess not," she shrugged. "Have a nice life, Tommy." She turned to go.

"Jude, wait!" He grabbed her arm and spun her around to place a lingering kiss on her forehead. "I'm sorry."

She said nothing as she backed away and walked out of his life, presumably for good.

"I can't believe this is it," Nic whimpered very early the next morning as she stood outside the airport with Jude, Spiederman, Wally, Kyle, and Jamie. She pulled her cashmere scarf tighter around her neck. "You really wanna leave?"

"No," Jude admitted honestly, "but I have to."

Nic hugged her tightly. "Well, the five of us are going to come visit soon."

"You better," Jude warned, turning to the band. "Take care of each other, boys." They shared a big group hug before Spiederman took her into his arms. "I'm sorry, Spied."

"It's not your fault," he told her. "He's an idiot."

"Yeah," she breathed, finally looking at Jamie. "No crying, Andrews."

"Oh, please," he muttered, taking his turn to hug her. "I don't cry."

She smirked. "Sure you don't." She looked down at her watch. "I should go."

"Call me when you land," Spiederman demanded. "I wanna know you made it safe."

Jude frowned sadly. "I'll see you guys soon."

As she walked through the airport, Jude tried not to cry. She knew, deep down, that leaving Toronto was the last thing she wanted but working at Sewer with Tommy would have been heartbreaking so having the Atlantic between them dulled some of the pain.

"Miss Harrison, we're landing soon," a flight attendant told her hours later. "You'll want to put your seat in its upright position."

"Oh, thanks," Jude said, sitting up.

When the plane landed, she exited with the rest of the passengers and pulled her phone from her pocket to call Olivia to figure out where to meet her. She got her voicemail. "Hi, Liv, it's me. I assume you're on the other line so call me back as soon as you get this. I just landed and need to know where to meet you." She hung up and tucked her phone back into her bag.

"She's not here."

Jude froze and turned slowly to find Tommy standing behind her. "What are you doing here?"

"Jude," he breathed, stepping towards her. "I couldn't let you go again. I know that it's not going to be easy and that we're going to have a lot of speed bumps along the way but they'll be worth it in the end. I can't explain my behavior over the last two weeks but I need you to know that I'm in love with you. I always have been. And I know that you deserv-,"

She cut him off by kissing him. "Just shut up, Quincy."

"Aren't you going to ask how I got a hold of your friend?" he wanted to know.

"I don't care," she murmured, pressing her to forehead to his. "I do have to ask why you couldn't tell me this last night. Could've saved a trip."

"I guess I needed to think I was going to lose you to really realize that thought just about paralyzed me," he explained, taking her carry-on from her. "Besides, I thought we could spend a little time here before going home."

Jude bit her lip. "I'd really rather go back. I already miss everyone."

"I figured you might," he chuckled, reaching into his back pocket to pull out two tickets. "Our flight leaves at seven."

She reached up and kissed him again. "I love you, Tom Quincy."

"I know," he murmured, kissing her forehead. "I love you, too."

At 620, Nic and Spiederman were just falling asleep after a _Jackass _movie marathon with the boys when they heard the door open downstairs.

"Stay here," Spiederman whispered, climbing out of bed to grab a baseball bat near his door.

"No," Nic denied. "I'm tougher than you are."

They quietly crept out of his room and made their way through the dark kitchen. Nic nervously reached over to turn on the light, only for them to find Jude and Tommy staring up at them.

"Jude!" Nic shrieked, ignoring the fact that she was only wearing one of Spiederman's old button-ups as she bounded down the stairs to hug her. "You're back?!"

"I had a little surprise waiting for me at Heathrow this afternoon," Jude explained, nudging Tommy. "And he finally convinced me that I need to be in Toronto."

"Well, I'm glad," Nic smiled brightly, taking Spiederman's hand as he joined them. "We can totally double date."

Tommy made eye contact with Spiederman. "I'm not so sure that would be a good idea."

"Why?" Nic wondered as the four of them sat down on the couches. "Spied and I are a lot of fun."

"True," Jude agreed, "but Tommy's a little boring." Before Tommy could protest, she continued. "Good thing I like boring every now and then."

"You better," Tommy murmured, pulling her towards him to lean on his chest. "I gave up an orthodontist for you."

Jude just smirked and closed her eyes. "You really don't want me to respond to that."

"Ha," Nic laughed once as she cuddled up next to her boyfriend. "Your comments would be so much nicer than mine."

"Both of you, shut up," Spiederman demanded, clapping twice to turn off the lights. "I've had a long day."

"Spied, shut the fuck up," Jude grinned. "I just spent the entire day on airplanes." She wrapped her arms around Tommy. "But it was so worth it."


End file.
